opacity

American  

[oh-pas-i-tee] / oʊˈpæs ɪ ti /

noun

plural

opacities

1. the state or quality of being opaque.

2. something opaque.

3. the degree to which a substance is opaque; capacity for being opaque.

4. Photography. the proportion of the light that is absorbed by the emulsion on any given area of a film or plate.

5. obscurity of meaning.

6. mental dullness.

7. Medicine/Medical. an opaque spot or area in normally clear or transparent tissue, as a cataract of the eye.

---

opacity British  

/ əʊˈpæsɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being opaque

2. the degree to which something is opaque

3. an opaque object or substance

4. obscurity of meaning; unintelligibility

5. physics photog the ratio of the intensity of light incident on a medium, such as a photographic film, to that transmitted through the medium

6. logic philosophy the property of being an opaque context

---

Other Word Forms

• nonopacity noun

Etymology

Origin of opacity

First recorded in 1550–60, opacity is from the Latin word opācitās shade. See opaque, -ity

Example Sentences

But this opacity means there is no agreed-on way to define, measure or categorize private credit.

From The Wall Street Journal

The private-credit market’s opacity and use of hybrid vehicles with redemptions create liquidity issues, prompting calls for fee cuts and reduced leverage.

From Barron's

The distinction is deliberate: Option A trades scrutiny for relief; Option B trades opacity for exposure.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund’s opacity helps explain why it is facing redemptions.

From The Wall Street Journal

Perhaps it is the neighborhood’s enduring, somewhat mysterious opacity that appeals to a new generation of designers and artists.

From Los Angeles Times