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Glite Dictionary
crystalline lens

crystalline lens

5.5
A clear curved part behind the colored part of the eye that focuses light onto the back of the eye
  • noun
  • /ˈkrɪstəlɪn lɛnz/
  • Specialized
translation icon : lente cristalina
  • The crystalline lens helps focus light onto the retina.

Examples

  • Did you know the crystalline lens can change shape?

  • The crystalline lens helps focus light onto the retina for clear vision.

  • Cataracts cause clouding of the crystalline lens, leading to blurred vision.

  • The crystalline lens helps the eye adjust focus to see objects at various distances.

  • The surgeon carefully removed the damaged crystalline lens during the procedure.

  • As we age, the crystalline lens can become less flexible, making it harder to focus on close objects.

  • The surgeon carefully removed the cloudy crystalline lens during the cataract operation.

Synonyms

lens
vscrystalline lens
175 2.5

A clear curved piece of glass or plastic that focuses light

applies specifically to the eye part rather than any optical device
lens of the eye
vscrystalline lens
4.4

A clear part behind the colored part of the eye that focuses light on the back of the eye

is the medical term for the same eye structure

How Clear

crystalline lens
  • Specialized
5.5

Surface Forms

crystalline lens singular
crystalline lenses plural

Morphology

crystalline + lens

The phrase is fully compositional: 'crystalline' (made of or having crystal-like structure) simply describes the type of 'lens' (a transparent light-focusing device), so the meaning 'a lens that is crystalline/has crystalline structure' is directly derivable. This adjectival modification follows standard English noun-phrase patterns and is predictable across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will understand the MWE.

Etymology

The term crystalline lens comes from the words crystalline meaning 'like a clear crystal' and lens meaning 'a small piece of glass that bends light'. Because this part of the eye is clear and bends light to 'focus' images inside the eye, the name points to the eye's clear, focusing part.