opaque

[ oh-peyk ]

See synonyms for: opaque opaqueness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

not transparent or translucent; impenetrable to light; not allowing light to pass through.
not transmitting radiation, sound, heat, etc.

not shining or bright; dark; dull.
hard to understand; not clear or lucid; obscure: The problem remains opaque despite explanations.
dull, stupid, or unintelligent.

noun

something that is opaque.
Photography. a coloring matter, usually black or red, used to render part of a negative opaque.

verb (used with object),o·paqued, o·paqu·ing.

Photography. to cover up blemishes on (a negative), especially for making a printing plate.
to cause to become opaque.

Origin of opaque

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English opake, from Latin opācus “shaded”

Other words for opaque

1	murky, cloudy, muddy

See synonyms for opaque on Thesaurus.com

Other words from opaque

o·paque·ly, adverb
o·paque·ness, noun
sub·o·paque, adjective
sub·o·paque·ly, adverb
sub·o·paque·ness, noun

Words Nearby opaque

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use opaque in a sentence

So, basically, the details are, we don’t have the full details, it’s a little bit of an opaque formula, but there’s a component called the VAR of it, which is value at risk.
Elon Musk busts Clubhouse limit, fans stream to YouTube, he switches to interviewing Robinhood CEO | Mike Butcher | February 1, 2021 | TechCrunch
The exchanges with policy-setters also benefit the scientists by illuminating decision-making processes, which can seem opaque when they go beyond the models’ math to consider other factors.
The Hard Lessons of Modeling the Coronavirus Pandemic | Jordana Cepelewicz | January 28, 2021 | Quanta Magazine
It is unclear why those posts were reinstated, as Facebook is notoriously opaque on its policies and their enforcement.
5 things social media platforms can do to combat anti-LGBTQ disinformation | Brianna January | January 7, 2021 | Washington Blade
On the other stand the machines, whose algorithms possess astonishing predictive power but whose inner workings remain radically opaque to human observers.
These Were Our Favorite Tech Stories From Around the Web in 2020 | Singularity Hub Staff | January 2, 2021 | Singularity Hub
To understand why, we need to examine the bipartisan history of immigration detention, as well as New Jersey’s unique county political machines and their enormous but often opaque power.
New Jersey’s unique political contours make challenging immigrant detention hard | Mary Rizzo, Whitney Strub | December 18, 2020 | Washington Post

Under Sepp Blatter, its interminable head, the body has been opaque and corrupt.
Best Way to Punish Putin? No World Cup | Tunku Varadarajan | July 20, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Jersey milk is thick and opaque, but Jersey cows produce much less of it—not enough to cover the coin.
The Secret to This Ice Cream: Pampered Cows | Jane & Michael Stern | May 18, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The beer is a lovely golden color—slightly opaque, reminiscent of an aged Austrian Reisling, or even an older white Burgundy.
Wine Snobs, There’s a Beer for You | Jordan Salcito | April 5, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Like Berliner Weiss, these beers are unfiltered and slightly opaque.
Wine Snobs, There’s a Beer for You | Jordan Salcito | April 5, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
As I organized my umbrella and shed my dripping coat, she sipped something golden and opaque from a tall pint glass.
Wine Snobs, There’s a Beer for You | Jordan Salcito | April 5, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Her eyes, too, had a curious hard opaque look, as if the old voluptuous fires had burned out; and she seemed ever on her guard.
Ancestors | Gertrude Atherton
There is a neat pulpit in the chapel, and it is ornamented with what seem to be panels of opaque glass.
Our Churches and Chapels | Atticus
There is considerable decorative skill displayed in the edifice; but the work looks opaque and needs brightening up.
Our Churches and Chapels | Atticus
A mirror, or window glass, backed with some opaque material, should be used for the foundation of the device.
The Boy Mechanic, Book 2 | Various
Deep brown or black, very opaque, and less soluble than ordinary aloes.
Cooley's Cyclopdia of Practical Receipts and Collateral Information in the Arts, Manufactures, Professions, and Trades..., Sixth Edition, Volume I | Arnold Cooley

British Dictionary definitions for opaque

opaque

/ (əʊˈpeɪk) /

adjective

not transmitting light; not transparent or translucent
not reflecting light; lacking lustre or shine; dull

not transmitting radiant energy, such as electromagnetic or corpuscular radiation, or sound
hard to understand; unintelligible
unintelligent; dense

noun

photog an opaque pigment used to block out particular areas on a negative

verbopaques, opaquing or opaqued (tr)

to make opaque
photog to block out particular areas, such as blemishes, on (a negative), using an opaque

Origin of opaque

C15: from Latin opācus shady

Derived forms of opaque

opaquely, adverb
opaqueness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for opaque

opaque

[ ō-pāk′ ]

Resistant to the transmission of certain kinds of radiation, usually light. Metals and many minerals are opaque to light, while being transparent to radio waves and neutrinos. Compare translucent transparent.

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