translucence
Light passes through
Translucence is the quality of allowing light to pass through without being fully transparent.
A translucent material—frosted glass, wax paper, thin fabric—transmits light but obscures what's behind it.
The word occasionally appears in figurative contexts suggesting partial revelation: There was a translucence to her explanations that left me wanting more.
Delicately translucent
- opalescentShowing milky iridescence
- frostedCovered with icy film
- milkyWhitish and cloudy
- cloudedMade unclear or dim
filmy · gauzy · sheer · veiled · diffuse · hazy · misty · smoky
Transparent solid from sand
- vellumPrepared calfskin for writing
- onyxLayered black-white gemstone
- alabasterTranslucent carving stone
- jadeCarved ornamental mineral
porcelain · wax · rice paper · parchment · organza · chiffon · voile · muslin
Steady, soft light
- luminosityIntrinsic brightness of source
- shimmerTremulous, wavering light
- radianceGlowing luminous quality
- lambentSoftly glowing, flickering gently
suffused · backlit · illuminated · phosphorescent · iridescent · refraction · scattering · filtering
State of being understandable
- opennessQuality of being accessible
- visibilityRange of clear sight
- accessibilityEase of approach
- candorUnguarded truthfulness
revelation · disclosure · legibility · permeability · vulnerability · exposure · honesty · transparency
Resembling a specter
- spectralGhostlike or wavelength-related
- otherworldlySeemingly not earthly
- phantasmalLike an apparition
- apparitionalResembling a specter
eerie · haunting · dreamlike · wispy · vaporous · nebulous · insubstantial · wraithlike
diaphanous
Delicately translucent
- opalescentShowing milky iridescence
- frostedCovered with icy film
- milkyWhitish and cloudy
clouded · filmy · gauzy · sheer · veiled · diffuse · hazy · misty · smoky · tinted
glass
Transparent solid from sand
- vellumPrepared calfskin for writing
- onyxLayered black-white gemstone
- alabasterTranslucent carving stone
jade · porcelain · wax · rice paper · parchment · organza · chiffon · voile · muslin · membrane
glow
Steady, soft light
- luminosityIntrinsic brightness of source
- shimmerTremulous, wavering light
- radianceGlowing luminous quality
lambent · suffused · backlit · illuminated · phosphorescent · iridescent · refraction · scattering · filtering · softened
clarity
State of being understandable
- opennessQuality of being accessible
- visibilityRange of clear sight
- accessibilityEase of approach
candor · revelation · disclosure · legibility · permeability · vulnerability · exposure · honesty · transparency · receptivity
ghostly
Resembling a specter
- spectralGhostlike or wavelength-related
- otherworldlySeemingly not earthly
- phantasmalLike an apparition
apparitional · eerie · haunting · dreamlike · wispy · vaporous · nebulous · insubstantial · wraithlike · gossamer
- light effectsshine, glow, gleam, shimmer, glitter
- light phenomenarainbow, refraction, diffraction, spectrum, prism
- visual qualitiescolor, hue, saturation, brightness, lightness
- Etherealgossamer, wisp, wisps, vapor, mist
- gem qualitiesbrilliance, sparkle, luster, clarity, radiance
- optical propertiesreflectivity, transparency, absorbance, refraction, gloss
translucenceopaqueness
Lack of transparency
murkiness · cloudiness · turbidity · haziness · fogginess
- translucent glassPartially transparent glazing
- translucent powderSheer cosmetic for setting
- nuchal translucencyFetal neck-fold thickness assessment