Blenden

Blenden is a German term with several related meanings. As a verb, blenden means to blind or dazzle someone, especially with bright light, and it can be used figuratively to describe something that overwhelms or impresses visually.

As a noun, Blende (plural Blenden) denotes a device that serves as an opening, cover, or shield in various technical contexts. In optics and photography, die Blende is the aperture or diaphragm of a lens, used to regulate the amount of light reaching the sensor or film and to influence depth of field. In machinery and engineering, Blende can refer to a shielding plate or protective cover that blocks light or sight lines or that shapes illumination. In architecture or construction contexts, the term may appear in compound forms referring to decorative or protective covers. The plural Blenden is used when describing more than one such opening or cover, for example in a camera body with multiple diaphragms or a system of shields.

Etymology and usage notes: Blende derives from Germanic roots; the verb blenden is linked to making something blind with light. The word is primarily used in German-language technical writing and in discussions of photography and machinery. In English-language contexts, similar terms include aperture, diaphragm, or shade, depending on the sense.