clarity
/ˈklarɪti
/noun [mass noun]
1The quality of being clear, in particular:
1.1The quality of being coherent and intelligible: for the sake of clarity, each of these strategies is dealt with separately...
- For the sake of clarity, pathways have been simplified.
- This is not to say I have to like the construction; in writing-instructor mode, I can and do encourage writers to avoid it for the sake of clarity.
- However, for the sake of clarity, let me make the following point.
Synonyms
lucidity, lucidness, clearness, perspicuity, intelligibility, comprehensibility, coherence;
simplicity, plainness, explicitness, lack of ambiguity, precision
1.2The quality of being easy to see or hear; sharpness of image or sound: the clarity of the picture...
- The sharpness and clarity of the images is pleasing to the eye.
- What is lost in the translation to the small screen is compensated for in the sharpness and clarity of the DVD images.
- I found the image quality excellent; with a degree of sharpness and clarity I did not expect from a film of this age.
Synonyms
sharpness, clearness, crispness, definition, distinctness, precision
1.3The quality of being certain or definite: it was clarity of purpose that he needed...
- A well-posed problem is a problem that can be stated with enough clarity and definiteness that it is guaranteed a solution.
- How many people will have seen such displays and will be impressed by the certainty and clarity of the definite statements made by ‘science’?
- Such debates, it seems to me, have not so much contributed to greater clarity or definition of the terms, but rather served only to cloud and confuse the issues.
1.4The quality of transparency or purity: the crystal clarity of water...
- To maintain the water's clarity and purity, this wilderness area employs ingenious purification methods.
- Clear minerals reflect all the colours of the spectrum and symbolize purity, clarity and wholeness.
- However, the real goal of alchemical work is not to obtain material gold, but spiritual gold: a state of enormous power, clarity, and purity.
Synonyms
limpidity, limpidness, clearness, transparency, translucence, pellucidity, glassiness;
purity
rare transpicuousness
Origin
Middle English (in the sense 'glory, divine splendour'): from Latin claritas, from clarus 'clear'. The current sense dates from the early 17th century.