# lentil

/ˈɫɛntəɫ/ (US) · /lˈɛntəl/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/lentil
Updated: 2026-10-14

## Definition

a small, round, flat seed you cook and eat in soups, stews, and curries. You can buy them dry or cooked, in green, brown, or red colors.

For teachers: a small, lens-shaped leguminous seed cultivated as a food crop, typically cooked before eating. Usually encountered in the plural when referring to food.

## Examples

- I cook red lentils for soup every week.
- She adds green lentils to the salad for extra protein and texture.
- The farmer rotates wheat with lentils to enrich the soil while securing a second income from the hardy legume.

## Synonyms

pulse, legume

## Usage notes

- Usually plural when referring to food ('lentils'); singular for a single seed.

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