opaque
Use opaque in a sentence
adjective
1.
not transparent or translucent; impenetrable to light; not allowing light to pass through.
2.
not transmitting radiation, sound, heat, etc.
3.
not shining or bright; dark; dull.
4.
hard to understand; not clear or lucid; obscure: The problem remains opaque despite explanations.
5.
dull, stupid, or unintelligent.
noun
6.
something that is opaque.
7.
Photography. a coloring matter, usually black or red, used to render part of a negative opaque.
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opaque
is a GRE word you need to know.
So is precursor. Does it mean:
| a person, animal, or thing that goes before and indicates the approach of someone or something else; harbinger: |
| leaving no opportunity for denial or refusal; imperative, decisive or final |
verb (used with object)
8.
Photography. to cover up blemishes on (a negative), especially for making a printing plate.
9.
to cause to become opaque.
Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English opake < Latin opācus shaded
1375–1425; late Middle English opake < Latin opācus shaded
Related forms
o·paque·ly, adverb
o·paque·ness, noun
sub·o·paque, adjective
sub·o·paque·ly, adverb
sub·o·paque·ness, noun
Synonyms
1. murky, cloudy, muddy.
1. murky, cloudy, muddy.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To opaque
Collins
World English Dictionary
opaque (əʊˈpeɪk) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | not transmitting light; not transparent or translucent |
| 2. | not reflecting light; lacking lustre or shine; dull |
| 3. | not transmitting radiant energy, such as electromagnetic or corpuscular radiation, or sound |
| 4. | hard to understand; unintelligible |
| 5. | unintelligent; dense |
| —n | |
| 6. | photog an opaque pigment used to block out particular areas on a negative |
| —vb , opaques, opaquing, opaqued | |
| 7. | to make opaque |
| 8. | photog to block out particular areas, such as blemishes, on (a negative), using an opaque |
| [C15: from Latin opācus shady] | |
| o'paquely | |
| —adv | |
| o'paqueness | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
opaque
c.1420, opake, from L. opacus "shaded, shady, dark," of unknown origin. Spelling infl. after c.1650 by Fr. opaque (c.1500), from the L.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
opaque o·paque (ō-pāk')
adj.
Impenetrable by light; neither transparent nor translucent.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Science Dictionary
| opaque (ō-pāk') Pronunciation Key
Resistant to the transmission of certain kinds of radiation, usually light. Metals and many minerals are opaque to light, while being transparent to radio waves and neutrinos. Compare translucent, transparent. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Some are, but for people not in the field they can be pretty opaque.
Natural light hits the cement floors through opaque skylights in an insulated tin roof.
Lost is so opaque that you need networked smarts to fully enjoy it.
But the defence budget is so opaque that the government's figures have to be treated with enormous scepticism.
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