opaque

American  

[oh-peyk] / oʊˈpeɪk /

adjective

1. not transparent or translucent; impenetrable to light; not allowing light to pass through.

   Synonyms:

   muddy, cloudy, murky

2. not transmitting radiation, sound, heat, etc.

3. not shining or bright; dark; dull.

4. hard to understand; not clear or lucid; obscure.

   The problem remains opaque despite explanations.

5. dull, stupid, or unintelligent.

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noun

1. something that is opaque.

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

verb (used with object)

opaqued, opaquing

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

2. to cause to become opaque.

opaque British  

/ əʊˈpeɪk /

adjective

1. not transmitting light; not transparent or translucent

2. not reflecting light; lacking lustre or shine; dull

3. not transmitting radiant energy, such as electromagnetic or corpuscular radiation, or sound

4. hard to understand; unintelligible

5. unintelligent; dense

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noun

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

verb

1. to make opaque

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

opaque Scientific  

/ ō-pāk′ /

1. 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.

2. Compare translucent transparent

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Other Word Forms

• opaquely adverb
• opaqueness noun
• subopaque adjective
• subopaquely adverb
• subopaqueness noun

Etymology

Origin of opaque

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

Example Sentences

For brands, visibility increasingly depends on how products perform within opaque recommendation systems rather than on advertising spend alone.

From Barron's

The inspector located two opaque brown sacks, each with an unconscious but still breathing bird, in Martinez’s pants, according to court documents.

From Los Angeles Times

AI integration into search has been widely discussed, but the impact on ad load, click-through rates and cost per click remains opaque.

From MarketWatch

Bowman made clear that, notwithstanding the Fed’s sometimes opaque chain of command, she was in charge and expected examiners to get on board, according to people familiar with the meeting.

From The Wall Street Journal

However, despite the early headway, Beck believes “specific monetization segmentation and momentum remains broadly opaque.”

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• blurred
• cloudy
• dirty
• dull
• frosty
• gloomy
• hazy
• impenetrable
• murky
• thick