Lentil

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Lentil \Len"til\ (l[e^]n"t[i^]l), n. [F. lentille, fr. L.
     lenticula, dim. of lens, lentis, lentil. Cf. {Lens}.] (Bot.)
     A leguminous plant of the genus {Ervum} ({Ervum Lens}), of
     small size, common in the fields in Europe. Also, its seed,
     which is used for food on the continent.
     [1913 Webster]


  
     Note: The lentil of the Scriptures probably included several
           other vetchlike plants.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     {Lentil shell} (Zool.), a small bivalve shell of the genus
        {Ervillia}, family {Tellinid[ae]}.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  lentil
       n 1: round flat seed of the lentil plant
       2: the fruit or seed of a lentil plant
       3: widely cultivated Eurasian annual herb grown for its edible
          flattened seeds that are cooked like peas and also ground
          into meal and for its leafy stalks that are used as fodder
          [syn: {lentil plant}, {Lens culinaris}]