opaque

[ oh-peyk ]

adjective

1. not transparent or translucent; impenetrable to light; not allowing light to pass through.

   Synonyms: muddy, cloudy, murky

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

1. something that is opaque.
2. Photography. a coloring matter, usually black or red, used to render part of a negative opaque.

verb (used with object)

opaqued, opaquing.

1. Photography. to cover up blemishes on (a negative), especially for making a printing plate.
2. to cause to become opaque.

opaque

/ əʊˈpeɪk /

adjective

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

noun

1. photog an opaque pigment used to block out particular areas on a negative

verb

1. to make opaque
2. photog to block out particular areas, such as blemishes, on (a negative), using an opaque

opaque

/ ō-pāk′ /

1. 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.
2. Compare translucent

Derived Forms

• oˈpaquely, adverb
• oˈpaqueness, noun

Other Word Forms

• o·paquely adverb
• o·paqueness noun
• subo·paque adjective
• subo·paquely adverb
• subo·paqueness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of opaque¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English opake, from Latin opācus “shaded”

Word History and Origins

Origin of opaque¹

C15: from Latin opācus shady

Example Sentences

Upon its release, some viewers were exasperated by the film’s purposefully opaque political commentary.

From Salon

They claimed that the opaque procurement procedures the government used for infrastructure projects had enriched a few favoured contractors while putting public safety at risk.

From BBC

His fate is opaque and, therefore, far more realistic.

From Salon

His agents are sweeping up legal residents in their opaque nets, labeling the whole unidentified lot as terrorists and shipping most of them off by planeloads to a Salvadoran megaprison.

From Los Angeles Times

These ships also risk causing turbidity, making the water opaque by stirring up the seafloor, and thereby harming the balance of species and food pyramid.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• blurred
• cloudy
• dirty
• dull
• frosty
• gloomy
• hazy
• impenetrable
• murky
• thick