lensshaped

Lens-shaped is an adjective used to describe objects whose contour or cross-section resembles a lens or lentil. In general, a lens-shaped form has a curved surface on opposite sides and a profile that is thicker in the middle and tapers toward the ends. In three dimensions, a true lens-shaped solid is often described as a lentiform body, arising when two spherical surfaces intersect.

Geometrically, a common lens-shaped solid can be formed as the intersection of two congruent spheres whose centers are separated by a distance less than the diameter of the spheres. The resulting 3D shape is bounded by two spherical caps and exhibits symmetry about the line through the centers. The two-dimensional outline (the cross-section through the centers) is a convex lens shape, created by the intersection of two equal circles.

The term is widely used across disciplines to describe both objects and regions that approximate a lens-like form. In geology, ore bodies or sedimentary lenses are described as lens-shaped due to their elongated, curved cross-sections. In biology and anatomy, the crystalline lens of the eye is often described as lens-shaped, reflecting its compact, biconvex geometry. In materials science and microscopy, lens-shaped particles or microstructures are discussed in relation to interfaces and phase boundaries.

Etymology traces to the shape of a lens or lentil, with synonyms such as lentiform and lenticular. These terms emphasize the characteristic convex, double-curved geometry that defines lens-shaped forms.