Skip to main content
optical lens

optical lens

3.9
A curved piece of clear glass or plastic that focuses light in cameras and microscopes
  • noun
  • /ˈɑptɪkəl lɛnz/
  • Specialized
translation icon : lente óptica
  • Wow, well it's good to know that there are no optical lenses or scopes that can zero in so closely on the surface of the moon and objects so small. Now that the conspirators know this is a fact, did anyone happen to tell that to Google Earth?
  • optical lenses manipulate light
  • flat optical lenses

And that allows the, the, the optical lenses and the lasers and everything to to align the tattoo.

Examples

  • Redwood MicroSystems is developing a heat-actuated micromirror for use in a variable-focus optical lens.

    Academic text (1994)
  • And that allows the, the, the optical lenses and the lasers and everything to to align the tattoo.

  • I hope it will be a bit better than the first MS Optical lens, also a fast Sonnar-type 50mm, which was very soft wide open.

    Blog text (13)
  • I haven't had a chance to live with the new Zenni optical lens inserts, but at Metaconnect they did have some of those samples for me to use in a test run.

  • The camera's 8X optical lens allows for stunning photographs with incredible detail.

  • When using a microscope, an optical lens is essential for magnifying small specimens for study.

  • High-quality optical lenses can significantly improve the clarity and precision of images in photography.

Synonyms

lens
vsoptical lens
175 2.5

A clear curved piece of glass or plastic that focuses light

is the same general transparent element used specifically in optical instruments
contact lens
vsoptical lens
33 2.5

A thin lens you wear on your eye to help you see

is the general transparent element used inside instruments rather than worn on the eye
eyepiece
vsoptical lens
  • Specialized
9 5.9

A small lens you look through on a microscope or telescope

is any transparent focusing element, not specifically the viewing-end component
camera lens
vsoptical lens
7 2.9

A curved glass or plastic piece that focuses light onto the camera sensor

is the general focusing element used in many devices beyond photography
telephoto lens
vsoptical lens
  • Specialized
5 3.9

A camera lens that makes faraway things look closer

is the general focusing element used in many instruments, not only distant magnification
ocular
vsoptical lens
  • Specialized
1 7.5

A lens you look through on a microscope or telescope

is the broader transparent focusing element used in various positions
objective lens
vsoptical lens
  • Specialized
1 3.9

The lens nearest the object in a microscope or telescope that makes the main image

is any transparent focusing element not limited to forming primary images
lens system
vsoptical lens
  • Specialized
1 4.2

A group of curved glass parts that bend light to make images, for example in cameras or microscopes

is a single transparent element rather than a multi-element assembly
compound lens
vsoptical lens
  • Specialized
1 3.9

A system of several lenses lined up to make images clearer or larger

is the single transparent element used alone in many simple devices
Fresnel
vsoptical lens
  • Specialized
1 9.3

A lens with a stepped surface that focuses light well

is any transparent focusing element rather than this specific grooved design
optic lens
vsoptical lens
  • Specialized
4.2

A curved piece of glass or plastic that helps you see things more clearly in instruments

is the general transparent element used across many instruments, not only vision aids
object lens
vsoptical lens
  • Specialized
7.0

The curved piece of glass in a microscope or telescope nearest the object that makes the first image

covers those uses but also includes focusing parts in other devices
object glass
vsoptical lens
  • Specialized
7.9

The lens in a microscope or telescope nearest the thing you look at

is the broader term for transparent focusing parts across devices
microscopic lens
vsoptical lens
  • Specialized
4.4

A very small glass piece that makes tiny things look bigger in a microscope

is the general transparent element used for focusing or dispersing light
converging lens
vsoptical lens
  • Specialized
5.0

A lens that brings light rays to a single point

is any transparent element that either brings together or spreads out light
convex lens
vsoptical lens
  • Specialized
4.4

A lens that is thicker in the center and brings light to a point

is the broader category of transparent focusing or dispersing elements
meniscus
vsoptical lens
  • Specialized
8.9

A lens curved inward on one side and outward on the other that focuses light

is the general transparent element without specifying its exact shape
Fresnel lens
vsoptical lens
  • Specialized
8.6

A thin lens made of rings that focuses light for lighthouses and projectors

is the general transparent element, not the stepped lightweight design
optical condenser
vsoptical lens
  • Specialized
6.5

A lens that focuses light onto an object in a microscope

is the general device for directing light, not limited to concentrating it
field lens
vsoptical lens
  • Specialized
7.3

A curved piece of glass at the far end of devices like binoculars or microscopes that gives a wider view

is the general focusing part rather than the one that widens view
lens implant
vsoptical lens
  • Specialized
4.1

A clear artificial lens placed in the eye to replace a cloudy natural lens after cataract surgery

is the general transparent element used externally in instruments rather than inside the eye

How Magnifying

telephoto lens
  • Specialized
5 3.9
optical lens
  • Specialized
3.9
wide-angle lens
  • Specialized
5 4.0

Surface Forms

optical lens singular

Morphology

optical + lens

The meaning 'a lens used with light or optical devices' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'optical' (relating to light/vision) with 'lens' (a device that focuses or directs light). This straightforward compositional relationship is common in English and other languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

Optical lens combines optical (about 'sight') and lens. One popular story says early glass pieces were shaped like small lentils, so people called them lens, and because these curved pieces bend and focus light, optical lens now means 'a clear piece that focuses or spreads light'.