Exploring the etymology of the word lens reveals a fascinating history. Its origins date back to a 1693 treatise on solar eclipses, where it was used to describe the part of a telescope. The term was borrowed from Medieval Latin lens, which originally meant “lentil” in earlier Latin. The connection between the glass’s convex shape and the curvature of a lentil is interesting. Interestingly, the word lentil also has its roots in Latin, derived from the diminutive lenticula and French lentille. The word lens likely has non-Indo-European origins, as evidenced by cognates in other Indo-European languages that do not follow typical sound change patterns. It’s not uncommon for agricultural terms to have roots in the languages of previous inhabitants of the land.
