Transparent Meaning
/tɹænsˈpæɹ.ənt/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjSee-through, clear; having the property that light passes through it almost undisturbed, such that one can see through it clearly.
adjSee-through, clear; having the property that light passes through it almost undisturbed, such that one can see through it clearly., Of a graphical image or animated GIF, having parts that allow the background to show through.
Sentence Examples
This transparent liquid contains a kind of poison.
This transparent liquid contains poison.
The insect's wings are almost transparent.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The windows are made of completely ____ glass, so you can see the garden clearly.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The water in the shallow parts of the lake was so ____ that we could see the small fish swimming near the bottom today.
Word Origin & History
Borrowed from Medieval Latin trānspārēns, trānspārēntis (“transparent”), present participle of transpareō, from Latin trans + pareō. Displaced native Old English þurhsīene.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
""You make the glass invisible by putting it into a liquid of nearly the same refractive index; a transparent thing becomes invisible if it is put in any medium of almost the same refractive index.""
— 1897, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, chapter 19, in The Invisible Man: A Grotesque Romance, New York, N.Y.; London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, →OCLC:
"Ukraine's campaign in Kursk Oblast demonstrates that surprise is still possible on the partially transparent battlefield of Ukraine — where an adversary can observe force concentrations but not reliably discern an enemy's operational intent and capabilities."
— 2025 February 6, Angelica Evans, “Ukraine’s Kursk Incursion: Six Month Assessment”, in Ukraine Project, Institute for the Study of War:
"In order to make that transparent to the user, browsers usually cache the usernames and passwords and retransmit them automatically each time they contact the server."
— 2003, Rolf Oppliger, Security Technologies for the World Wide Web, page 34:
"The Dress Cap and Under-Sleeves are en suite. In both the puffings are separated by equal intervals, in which the transparents are uncovered."
— 1858 March, G. Brodie, “Fashions for March”, in Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, volume XVI, number XCIV, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →ISSN, →OCLC, page 576, column 2:
"They can be obtained in various thicknesses and in many colors, including beautiful imitations of pearl, mother-of-pearl, veins and mottles, stratifications, roll stratifications, imitation corals, and all colors of translucents, transparents and opaques, grained ivory, shell (plain and corrugated mottle), onyx, wood effects, plaids, checks, stripes, metallic, bronze pearl plain, bronze pearl with fancy blocks, bronze pearl in veins and stripes, and what is called “essence pearl.”"
— 1935 March, F. L. Nowosatka, “Making Colorful Modern Rings from Old Toothbrush Handles”, in Raymond J. Brown, editor, Popular Science Monthly, volume 126, number 3, New York, N.Y.: Popular Science Publishing Co., Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, “The Home Workshop” section, page 97, column 2:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The windows are made of completely ____ glass, so you can see the garden clearly.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The water in the shallow parts of the lake was so ____ that we could see the small fish swimming near the bottom today.