Gauzy
adjective /ˈɡɔːzi/ — Light and translucent like gauze — thin, delicate, and allowing light to pass through.
Definition
Having the quality of gauze; light and translucent; thin and insubstantial; hazy, as if seen through gauze.
Beyond the definition
Gauzy is the look of heat-haze and muslin curtains and morning light through thin fabric — it's a quality of perception as much as material. The gauzy image is the one not entirely present, soft-edged, filtered.
Origin & history
From gauze (from French gaze, possibly from Gaza, a Palestinian city known for its fabric). Named for the place that produced the delicate fabric — the material became the adjective for anything having its translucent quality.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The memory had gone gauzy — still there, but soft-edged, not quite held.
She hung gauzy curtains that diffused the sunlight into something more gentle.
The gauzy quality of summer afternoons: heat and light combining to soften the edges of things.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Gauzy” when the meaning fits your context: Having the quality of gauze; light and translucent; thin and insubstantial; hazy, as if seen through gauze.
Synonyms
translucent, filmy, diaphanous, sheer, hazy
Antonyms
opaque, solid, dense, sharp
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Light Through High Windows
Sunlight streams through the high windows of a grand railway station, creating a hazy, translucent boundary in air.
The light filtering through the station windows creates a hazy, gauzy effect. The atmosphere appears light and insubstantial, resembling the visual quality of gauze where the air is softened and diffused by a thin, translucent layer of light.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Gauzy" mean?
Gauzy is adjective meaning: Light and translucent like gauze — thin, delicate, and allowing light to pass through.. Having the quality of gauze; light and translucent; thin and insubstantial; hazy, as if seen through gauze.
Where does the word "Gauzy" come from?
From gauze (from French gaze, possibly from Gaza, a Palestinian city known for its fabric). Named for the place that produced the delicate fabric — the material became the adjective for anything having its translucent quality.