diaphanous
Gossamer, nearly transparent
Diaphanous describes fabric or material so fine and delicate that light passes through it, making whatever lies beneath partially visible.
A diaphanous curtain or gown suggests sheerness and ethereal delicacy.
The word extends to anything characterized by vagueness or insubstantiality: diaphanous memories, diaphanous hopes.
It carries connotations of fragility and refinement, often with romantic or poetic overtones.
Allowing vision through
- translucentPermitting diffused light passage
- transparentAllowing light through
- gossamerFilmy, delicate material
- gauzyThin and transparent
filmy · chiffon · voile · organza · tulle · muslin · batiste · cobwebby
Delicate transparent textile
- organzaSheer, crisp dress fabric
- tulleFine net fabric
- voileSheer, lightweight textile
- georgetteSheer, crinkled dress fabric
gossamer · silk · muslin · batiste · gauze · net · lace · mousseline
Easily broken or damaged
- fineAcceptable in quality
- wispyThin and insubstantial
- daintyDelicately small and pretty
- gossamerFilmy, delicate material
feathery · silken · tender · soft · subtle · gentle · exquisite · refined
Seemingly not earthly
- ghostlyResembling a specter
- spectralGhostlike or wavelength-related
- phantasmalLike an apparition
- celestialOf the sky above
transcendent · mystical · dreamlike · vaporous · incorporeal · intangible · luminous · radiant
see-through
Allowing vision through
- translucentPermitting diffused light passage
- transparentAllowing light through
- gossamerFilmy, delicate material
gauzy · filmy · chiffon · voile · organza · tulle · muslin · batiste · cobwebby · pellucid
chiffon
Delicate transparent textile
georgette · gossamer · silk · muslin · batiste · gauze · net · lace · mousseline · organdy
fragile
Easily broken or damaged
gossamer · feathery · silken · tender · soft · subtle · gentle · exquisite · refined · elegant
otherworldly
Seemingly not earthly
- ghostlyResembling a specter
- spectralGhostlike or wavelength-related
- phantasmalLike an apparition
celestial · transcendent · mystical · dreamlike · vaporous · incorporeal · intangible · luminous · radiant · shimmering
- delicatedelicate, fragile, dainty, frail, tender
- DIA- wordsdiameter, diagonal, diagram, dialogue, diamond
- Etherealgossamer, wisp, wisps, vapor, mist
- fancy wordsgrandiloquent, magniloquent, sesquipedalian, pulchritudinous, tintinnabulation
- etherether, aether, ethereal, quintessence, fifth element
- translucentfrosted glass, rice paper, wax paper, tracing paper, sheer fabric