perspicuous

American  

[per-spik-yoo-uhs] / pərˈspɪk yu əs /

adjective

1. clearly expressed or presented; lucid.

   Synonyms:

   explicit, distinct, plain, intelligible

   Antonyms:

   indistinct, obscure

2. perspicacious.

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perspicuous British  

/ pəˈspɪkjʊəs /

adjective

1. (of speech or writing) easily understood; lucid

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Other Word Forms

• perspicuously
  adverb
• perspicuousness
  noun
• unperspicuous
  adjective
• unperspicuously
  adverb
• unperspicuousness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of perspicuous

First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin perspicuus “transparent, clearly visible,” equivalent to perspic(ere), “to look over, inspect, survey” (formed from preposition and prefix per, per- “through; thoroughly” + -spicere, combining form of specere “to see, observe, look”) + -uus adjective suffix; see per-, inspect )

Explanation

Perspicuous is an adjective describing language that is clear and easy to understand. When you give a presentation, you should speak in a perspicuous manner so that everyone will be able to follow you. Someone who is perspicuous speaks in a way that makes the meaning absolutely clear. The word perspicuous dates from the 15th century and comes from the Latin word perspicuus, meaning “transparent, clear,” which comes from the verb perspicere, meaning “to look at closely." Language that is perspicuous is language that is easily understood — to the point where you can almost see it.

Example Sentences

But were Tagovailoa a combat sport athlete — a boxer or mixed martial artist — there would be a timeline for return as perspicuous as if he were found to be taking banned performance-enhancing drugs.

From Washington Post • Oct. 7, 2022

But where Hofstadter is playfully enigmatic and brashly brainy, Chalmers’s writing is perspicuous and teacherly — an approach that keeps it from collapsing into recalcitrant obscurity.

From Washington Post • Feb. 11, 2022

Despite this book from the perspicuous pen of M. Viviani, it is possible that the Old Man of Doom is not quite as bad as he is depicted.

From Time Magazine Archive

In an unusually perspicuous article, excepting the vagaries of style considered essential to The Saturday Evening Post, Isaac F. Marcosson, famed cosmic journalist, discussed Britain's Labor regime.

From Time Magazine Archive

Nevertheless, in this I have made, 1, a great Number of small Alterations in the Diction, and added several Words, to render the Work still more simple and perspicuous.

From Advice to the people in general, with regard to their health by Tissot, S. A. D. (Samuel Auguste David)