lentils
UK[ˈlent(ə)lz]US[ˈlɛn(t)əlz]
n
A small, flat, round seed of a leguminous plant, dried and used in cooking, often orange, green, or brown in color.
n
The plant that produces these seeds.
Etymology
The word 'lentil' entered English in the 13th century from Old French 'lentille'. The French term derived from Latin 'lenticula', a diminutive of 'lens' (genitive 'lentis'), which meant 'lentil'. This Latin root is remarkably persistent, as it is also the source of the modern optical term 'lens', due to the similarity in shape between a double-convex glass and the lentil seed. The ultimate origin is likely a pre-Latin Mediterranean substrate word, reflecting the ancient cultivation of this pulse across Southern Europe and Western Asia.
Analysis
The word 'lentil' is a simplex loanword. Its core form 'lentil' functions as a single, unanalyzable morpheme in modern English.
Examples
The soup was thickened with red lentils and vegetables.
She planted a row of lentils in her garden to improve the soil.
Lentils are an excellent source of protein and fiber.