lentil

noun

1. a plant, Lens culinaris, of the legume family, having flattened, biconvex seeds used as food.
2. the seed itself.

noun

1. a small annual leguminous plant, Lens culinaris, of the Mediterranean region and W Asia, having edible brownish convex seeds
2. any of the seeds of this plant, which are cooked and eaten as a vegetable, in soups, etc

n.mid-13c., from Old French lentille “lentil,” also “freckle,” from Latin lenticula, diminutive of Latin lens (genitive lentis) “lentil,” cognate with Greek lathyros, German linse, Old Church Slavonic lęšta.