Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for

opaque

[ oh-peyk ]

adjective

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

    Synonyms: , ,

  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

/ əʊˈɪ /

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
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. photog an opaque pigment used to block out particular areas on a negative
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to make opaque
  2. photog to block out particular areas, such as blemishes, on (a negative), using an opaque
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

opaque

  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
Discover More

Derived Forms

  • ˈ貹ܱ, adverb
  • ˈ貹ܱԱ, noun
Discover More

Other Word Forms

  • ·貹ܱl adverb
  • ·貹ܱn noun
  • ܲo·貹ܱ adjective
  • sub·貹ܱl adverb
  • sub·貹ܱn noun
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of opaque1

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English opake, from Latin DZ峦ܲ “s󲹻”
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of opaque1

C15: from Latin DZ峦ܲ shady
Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Maybe that’s because the executive producer credit is one of the entertainment industry’s most opaque titles.

From

Audiences got a sense of their relationship to their son, but little about who they were as people — a choice suited to the film’s incredible, opaque ending.

From

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

From

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

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

From

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


Opa-Lockaopaque context