diaphanous
Americanadjective
-
very sheer and light; almost completely transparent or translucent.
-
delicately hazy.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of diaphanous
1605–15; < Medieval Latin diaphanus < Greek diaphan(ḗs) transparent, equivalent to diaphan-, stem of diaphaínein to show through ( see dia-, -phane ( def. ) ) + -ēs adj. suffix) + -ous
Explanation
If a dress is so see-through that light shines through it, it's diaphanous. You could also call it "sheer" or "transparent," but diaphanous sounds much fancier. If you want a classic example of diaphanous clothing, check out all those nineteenth century Romantic paintings of goddesses clad in lightweight gowns flouncing around in the middle of forests at night. Those gowns are diaphanous, and so are the fluttery translucent muslin curtains in your kitchen window and the gauzy tutu your little sister loves to wear. The Greek root, diaphanes, "see-through," combines dia-, "through," and phainesthai, "to show."
Vocabulary lists containing diaphanous
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "D"
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Heart of Darkness
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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.
Jerry Goldsmith’s diaphanous “Alien” score may not be instantly recognizable, but the dissonant orchestral sequences establish a mood that continues through the music featured in its sequels.
From Salon • Dec. 14, 2025
And the clattering syncopated loop that repeats through “Oblivion” is there mostly as a contrast to the wispy and diaphanous vocals, which are so thin and leavened with reverb that they threaten to float away.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 21, 2025
SEATTLE—Many insects can dart across water, relying on the liquid’s surface tension to support the weight of their tiny, diaphanous bodies.
From Science Magazine • Jan. 8, 2024
The novel is diaphanous, celestial, disembodied — sometimes to its benefit, sometimes not.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2023
I pulled back the thin diaphanous curtain that covered the windows and spotted my friend Ayana outside with her mother.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
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.
