Opaque
adjective /əʊˈpeɪk/ — Not transparent — blocking light rather than passing it.
Definition
Not able to be seen through; not transparent; (of a statement or explanation) not clear or easily understood; impenetrable.
Beyond the definition
Opaque is the light word that becomes a language word — the opaque explanation is as impenetrable as opaque glass. The word names resistance to vision in both domains. The opaque thing keeps its interior from view.
Origin & history
From Latin opacus — shaded, dark, obscure. The shaded — opacity as the quality of providing shade by blocking transmission.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The glass was opaque — she could see the light beyond it but nothing more.
His explanation was opaque in a way that made her suspect deliberate obfuscation.
The opaque and the transparent are in constant conversation in art: what you show and what you conceal.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Opaque” when the meaning fits your context: Not able to be seen through; not transparent; (of a statement or explanation) not clear or easily understood; impenetrable.
Synonyms
impenetrable, obscure, unclear, non-transparent
Antonyms
transparent, translucent, clear, pellucid
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
Path Into Deep Shadow
A path disappears entirely into the dark, dense foliage of woods, making the direction ahead impossible to see.
The dense, impenetrable shadow in the woods serves as a conceptual illustration of opacity. Just as one cannot see through the dark foliage, the path's destination is obscured, effectively mirroring the state of being not transparent and difficult to understand or perceive.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Opaque" mean?
Opaque is adjective meaning: Not transparent — blocking light rather than passing it.. Not able to be seen through; not transparent; (of a statement or explanation) not clear or easily understood; impenetrable.
Where does the word "Opaque" come from?
From Latin opacus — shaded, dark, obscure. The shaded — opacity as the quality of providing shade by blocking transmission.