Lentils are small, lens-shaped seeds, a type of legume, belonging to the Lens culinaris species within the legume family (Fabaceae). They are widely cultivated and a staple food source in many regions globally, particularly in Asia and the Middle East. Lentils are known for their nutritional value, being a good source of protein, fiber, and essential nutrients.
Lentil, (Lens culinaris), small annual legume of the pea family (Fabaceae) and its edible seed. Lentils are widely cultivated throughout Europe, Asia, and North Africa but are little grown in the Western Hemisphere. The seeds are used chiefly in soups and stews, and the herbage is used as fodder in some places.
The lentil (Vicia lens or Lens culinaris) is a legume; it is an annual plant grown for its lens-shaped edible seeds, also called lentils. It is about 40 cm (16 in) tall, and the seeds grow in pods, usually with two seeds in each. Lens esculenta Moench (1794), nom.