semitransparent

[sem-ee-trans-pair-uhnt, -par-, sem-ahy-]

adjective

1. imperfectly or almost transparent.

Other Word Forms

• semitransparency noun
• semitransparentness noun
• semitransparently adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of semitransparent¹

First recorded in 1785–95; semi- + transparent

Example Sentences

To boost the efficiency of solar receivers, Casati turned to semitransparent materials such as quartz, which can trap sunlight -- a phenomenon called the thermal-trap effect.

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The cage-like structures pioneered in Oregon are heavy-duty, semitransparent and easy to clean.

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Stephen Carney, the cemetery’s command historian, told the committee about a previous plan Arlington National Cemetery’s staff had envisioned, involving a “semitransparent” viewing panel that would, in a sense, transport visitors back in time.

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Another work, “Inverted Monument,” looks like an upside-down statue trapped inside a semitransparent pedestal, and is made of extruded thermoplastic polyester threads.

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The curtain of “Cloak” is semitransparent — it allows vision and blocks it at the same time, and, if people step behind it, functions as a sort of hiding place.

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Related Words

• crystalline 
• luminous 
• see-through