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.

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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

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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

This opacity matters most for retail investors, who have more immediate liquidity needs and rely more on timely and trustworthy pricing to assess risk.

From MarketWatch

It started with the concept album “A Curious Feeling,” its obsessive autumnal gloom and ornate melodies made even more memorable by the monochrome opacity of the production.

From Los Angeles Times

The opacity can be useful for those at the top: it limits liability and protects the bottom line.

From Salon

The opacity of leadership struggles in the world’s second largest economy is part of the confidence problem.

From The Wall Street Journal

Webb was championed by retail investors, who saw him as a rare outlier in a corporate world known for vested interests and opacity -- and a headache for regulators whose failings he laid bare.

From Barron's