lenticularis (len)

Latin word, a diminutive of lens/lentis (lens), which we translate as lentil, and which gives its name to one of the species catalogued in the WMO's International Cloud Atlas. This cloud species appears only in the genera Cirrocumulus, Altocumulus and Stratocumulus, and is easily recognisable. Lenticular clouds are elongated, lentil- or almond-shaped, with well-defined outlines shaped by the strong wind blowing at their upper level. They are usually orographic clouds - especially altocumulus - associated with the mountain-wave phenomenon. Sometimes several of these flattened cloud elements overlap (the duplicatus variety), resulting in a cloud of great size and striking appearance.