opaque
opaque Lexical Profile
opaque Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Not able to be seen through; not allowing light to pass through.
"The laboratory chemicals are stored in opaque brown bottles to prevent degradation from sunlight."
Difficult or impossible to understand, explain, or interpret; lacking clarity or transparency.
"The tax code is full of opaque legal jargon that confuses ordinary citizens."
• noun
A pigment, liquid, or substance used in photography, printing, or dental work to block out light or mask an area.
"The technician applied a thin layer of opaque to the negative to mask the unwanted background details."
• verb
To make impervious to light, or to paint over an area of a photographic negative or printing plate to block light.
"The darkroom assistant carefully opaqued the pinholes on the film negative before making the final print."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'opaque' with 'translucent' or 'transparent'; an opaque material blocks all light completely, whereas a translucent material allows diffused light to pass through without showing clear images.
• Rhymes for opaque
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the 15th century from Middle French opaque or directly from Latin opacus, meaning 'shaded, dark, or obscure'.