translucent
/transˈluːs(ə)nt
/ /trɑːnsˈluːs(ə)nt/ /tranzˈluːs(ə)nt/ /trɑːnzˈluːs(ə)nt/adjective
(Of a substance) allowing light, but not detailed shapes, to pass through; semi-transparent: her beautiful translucent skin...
- The thick, translucent slices were encased in a light batter that was appropriately oily.
- Choose a translucent powder to blend with your skin tone and apply with a puff or brush.
- The adhesive dries to a semi translucent plastic but can be coloured.
Synonyms
semi-transparent, pellucid, diaphanous, colourless, glassy, glass-like, gossamer, clear, crystalline, see-through, limpid, transparent
rare transpicuous, translucid
Derivatives
translucence
/ /tranzˈluːs(ə)ns / noun ...- But, the spreading of colours to get the effect of translucence or transparency should be done before the material absorbs the colour.
- Different terms applied to opaque and translucent red, and special terms described translucence itself.
- Legends of the discovery of glass have someone sitting on the sand beside last night's fire picking up a pitted, opaque greyish stone and discovering its hardness and translucence.
translucency
/ /tranzˈluːs(ə)nsi / noun ...- This is my usual medium, mainly due to the enjoyment of drawing itself and because of the depths and clarity of tones and translucency achievable with these pencils.
- This intuitively devised palette has a seductive velvety translucency activated by movements of colour created by gravity's forces.
- ‘Perfect imperfection’’ is what people are after - the translucency you get from real teeth.
translucently
- They are both only faintly given flesh; they both float translucently before the discourses from which they arise.
- She seemed very thin, her skin translucently pale, and her posture in her deep armchair was that of one who could not stand up without aid.
- A hardbound diary rested on her lap, and she fingered a pen with her long, almost translucently pale fingers.
Origin
Late 16th century (in the Latin sense): from Latin translucent- 'shining through', from the verb translucere, from trans- 'through' + lucere 'to shine'.
Formed from the Latin elements trans ‘across’ and lucere ‘to shine’, this was originally used in the literal sense ‘shining through’. The sense ‘allowing the passage of light’ dates from the late 18th century.