opacity
Americannoun
-
the state or quality of being opaque.
-
something opaque.
-
the degree to which a substance is opaque; capacity for being opaque.
-
Photography. the proportion of the light that is absorbed by the emulsion on any given area of a film or plate.
-
obscurity of meaning.
-
mental dullness.
-
Medicine/Medical. an opaque spot or area in normally clear or transparent tissue, as a cataract of the eye.
noun
-
the state or quality of being opaque
-
the degree to which something is opaque
-
an opaque object or substance
-
obscurity of meaning; unintelligibility
-
physics photog the ratio of the intensity of light incident on a medium, such as a photographic film, to that transmitted through the medium
-
logic philosophy the property of being an opaque context
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of opacity
First recorded in 1550–60, opacity is from the Latin word opācitās shade. See opaque, -ity
Explanation
Opacity is the characteristic of being difficult to understand or unclear. A professor whose lectures are known for opacity is going to find himself in a room full of some very frustrated students. In its literal sense opacity is used to talk about objects that don't allow light to shine through. A window that has accumulated a lot of dirt and dust is characterized by its opacity, as opposed to a transparent window, which is one you can see right through. The word opacity is used more generally for anything obscure, unclear, or incomprehensible, like the opacity of a novel full of ten-syllable words or a dictionary that doesn't give you any clear or straightforward definitions.
Vocabulary lists containing opacity
This Week In Culture: January 4–10, 2020
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 8
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Big Short
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Opacity is a recurrent problem with some of these Chinese loans," said Matthew Mingey, senior analyst with Rhodium Group, adding China had stricter confidentiality clauses on its commercial loans.
From Reuters • Jul. 3, 2022
Opacity: Much as we rely on them, it’s not always clear how algorithms work or why they offer the results that they provide.
From Slate • Feb. 2, 2016
Opacity is a byproduct of the secrecy permeating the $3.9 trillion private equity industry.
From New York Times • Oct. 17, 2015
Follow her on Twitter at @SharVanBoskirk IBM Researchers on Markets -- Opacity is ProfitableNature vs.
From Forbes • Sep. 7, 2011
And in fact, Opacity, the reverse of what is desired, Tone, is produced by the very same means in Water-colours, by which transparency is attained in Oil.
From Colour as a Means of Art Being an Adaption of the Experience of Professors to the Practice of Amatures by Howard, Frank
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
