lenticulaires

Lenticulaires is the plural form of lenticulaire, an adjective meaning "lens-shaped." Derived from lentille (lens), it is used to describe objects, layers, or structures with the cross-section of a lens. In scientific language, lenticulaires appears in phrases such as couches lenticulaires, structures lenticulaires, or galaxies lenticulaires.

In geology and sedimentology, lenticulaires refer to lens-shaped bodies or layers embedded in a surrounding matrix, known as lentilles. They occur in sedimentary rocks, soils, and ore deposits, forming oval or elliptical patches that pinch out laterally. Their distribution reveals depositional or diagenetic processes such as fluvial sorting or localized fluid flow.

In astronomy, lenticulaires describe lenticular galaxies, a class with a disk-like structure and a central bulge but without prominent spiral arms. In the Hubble scheme they are labelled S0. Lenticulars are considered intermediate between ellipticals and spirals and often show limited gas and star formation.

In optics and imaging, lenticulaires can refer to lenticular lenses or to lenticular printing, where a sheet of micro-lenses produces three-dimensional or animated effects when viewed from different angles.

In anatomy and medicine, lenticulaires may describe lens-like structures, for example structures lenticulaires such as the lentiform (lenticular) nuclei of the brain, which have a lens-shaped cross-section.