translucentadj.
/tranzˈl(j)uːs(ə)nt/, /trɑːnzˈl(j)uːs(ə)nt/, /transˈl(j)uːs(ə)nt/, /trɑːnsˈl(j)uːs(ə)nt/, U.S. /trænzˈlusənt/, /træn(t)sˈlusənt/ 1.
a. Allowing the passage of light so that objects within or on the other side can be seen clearly; = transparent adj. 1a. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > light > transparency or translucence > [adjective]
shireOE
brightOE
through-shineOE
cleanc1040
cleara1400
transparent1413
crystalc1425
crystallinec1425
crystal-clear?a1439
pure1481
perspicuatea1500
beryl1508
through-shining1526
diaphane1561
thorough-seeable1562
pellucid1563
sheer1565
translucent1568
liquid1590
tralucent?1592
perspicuous1599
thorough light1601
diaphanic1614
diaphanous1614
perspicable1615
translucid1615
diaphanal1616
lucid1620
diaphaned1626
transpicuous1638
perlucid1647
dioptrical1760
dioptric1801
unconcealing1804
see-through1851
pellucent1886
pool-clear1924
1568 W. Stewart in W. T. Ritchie Bannatyne MS (1928) III. f. 88 Ane lady..With cristall corpis translucent as a glas.
1725 E. Fenton in A. Pope et al. tr. Homer Odyssey I. i. 180 Replenish'd from the cool, translucent springs.
1891 A. C. Swinburne Jrnl. Sir W. Scott in Stud. Prose & Poetry (1894) 23 The translucent treachery of such an impious imposture.
1949 London Illustr. News 20 Aug. 260/1 The air was translucent and the distant horizon of cliffs and sea so beautiful that the thought of rain was never far away.
2010 Times 4 Sept. (Travel section) 29/3 The beaches are the main attraction, with their powdery sand, translucent water and a famously relaxed attitude to the wearing—or not wearing—of swimsuits.
b. Allowing light to pass through diffusely; semi-transparent. Sometimes also: emitting or reflecting a diffuse, soft light.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > light > transparency or translucence > [adjective] > semi-transparent
translucid1640
hornya1656
semi-diaphanous1663
semi-opacous1663
semi-opaque1692
translucent1726
semi-transparent1797
subtranslucent1828
vaporous1863
1726 W. Broome in A. Pope et al. tr. Homer Odyssey IV. xviii. 249 A vail translucent o'er her brow display'd.
1846 W. R. Grove On Correlation Physical Forces 29 The glass ceases to be transparent, though remaining translucent.
1905 in Westm. Gaz. 17 Mar. 12/1 The windows of this classroom were once transparent, they are now translucent, and if not cleaned very soon will be opaque.
1955 B. C. L. Kemp Elem. Org. Chem. (new ed.) xv. 219 Concentrated caustic soda causes a curious change to take place in cellulose, whereby the fibres become glossy and translucent.
2016 Sunday Times (Nexis) 4 Sept. (Dish) 42 Their leader was a thin man with translucent skin and a tight little mouth.
2. † b. Thoroughly illuminated; well lighted. Obsolete. rare.
a. Of light: that shines through or across something; emitting penetrating rays. In recent use sometimes influenced by sense 1b: soft, hazy, diffused.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > light > intensity of light > [adjective] > bright
shininga900
lighteOE
lightlyOE
sheenOE
torhtOE
shirea1000
steepa1000
shimmeringc1000
brightOE
strongOE
clear1297
fair?a1300
bright-shininga1387
merrya1393
skirea1400
lucident14..
shimc1400
staringc1400
luculentc1420
splendent1474
illuminousc1485
lucentc1500
bloominga1522
sheer1565
prelucent1568
faculent1575
splendant1578
lucid1591
neat1591
shine1596
translucent1596
well-lighted1606
nitid1615
lucible1623
dilucid1653
translucid1657
hard1660
1596 C. Fitzgeffry Sir Francis Drake sig. G3 The sunne, That lately bright translucent splendour shed.
1696 T. Robinson Treat. Meteorol. vi, in New Observ. Nat. Hist. 192 That which we call a Comet,..by receiving into its Body the Bright Rays of the Luminous Star, becomes Translucent, and appears to us in the Form and Figure of a Luminous or Fiery Globe.
1791 J. Learmont Poems Pastoral 359 The Sun translucent from on high With locks of waving gold salutes the sky.
1829 S. L. Fairfield Heir of World 166 To sit beneath the moon's translucent beam, And drink her light with melancholy eye.
1894 A. S. Hardy Three Singers 50 Who walks in yon translucent beam Hath holy peace forever more.
1916 A. N. Hood Sicilian Stud. 17 The sun sank behind Etna, casting long translucent rays across a roseate sky.
1949 S. F. A. Coles Lovely Land iv. 28 The mellow and translucent glow of the northern sun paints in cadmium and light gold the wide, leafy thoroughfares.
1981 Associated Press (Nexis) 28 May The road was bathed in a translucent light filtered by a soft mist.
2015 R. Sheppard Macro Photogr. vii. 129 Translucent light can also highlight the structure of things like leaves, insect wings, and so forth.
ΚΠ
a1652 A. Wilson Hist. Great Brit. (1653) 61 She had a translucent passage in the night, through the City of London, by multitudes of Torches.
Derivatives
transˈlucently adv. so as to be translucent (sense 1).
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > light > transparency or translucence > [adverb]
clearlya1375
tralucently1597
transparently1617
translucently1643
diaphanously1683
pellucidly1754
liquidly1821
1643 J. Taylor Some Small Reasons delivered in Waltham Forrest 6 Our faith in God and loyalty to the King, are most Translucently light..Refulgently light, Illustrately light.
1832 E. Bulwer-Lytton Eugene Aram I. i. i. 16 So translucently pure and soft was her complexion.
1897 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. III. 82 The skin..is translucently pale and shines like a mirror.
1917 Virginia Law Rev. 5 78 Perhaps Woodrow Wilson waited wisely until the issue had been made translucently clear.
2016 Guardian (Nexis) 20 Aug. (Travel section) We tried the ham at lunch. Sliced translucently thin, it dissolved on the palate, deep in salt, fat and flavour.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2019; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1568