transparent

1 of 2

adjective

trans·​par·​ent tran(t)s-ˈper-ənt 

1

a(1)

: having the property of transmitting light without appreciable scattering so that bodies lying beyond are seen clearly : pellucid

(2)

: allowing the passage of a specified form of radiation (such as X-rays or ultraviolet light)

b

: fine or sheer enough to be seen through : diaphanous

2

a

: free from pretense or deceit : frank

b

: easily detected or seen through : obvious

c

: readily understood

d

: characterized by visibility or accessibility of information especially concerning business practices

transparently adverb

transparentness noun

transparentness

2 of 2

noun

trans·​par·​ent·​ness

plural -es

: transparency sense 1

Synonyms of transparent

Adjective

• crystal
• clear
• liquid
• translucent
• crystalline

Choose the Right Synonym for transparent

clear, transparent, translucent, limpid mean capable of being seen through.

clear implies absence of cloudiness, haziness, or muddiness.

clear water

transparent implies being so clear that objects can be seen distinctly.

a transparent sheet of film

translucent implies the passage of light but not a clear view of what lies beyond.

translucent frosted glass

limpid suggests the soft clearness of pure water.

her eyes were limpid pools of blue

Examples of transparent in a Sentence

Adjective

bottles of blue transparent glass

his meaning in leaving the conversation is transparent: he doesn't want to talk about his combat experiences

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Katy Perry performed in Aquazzura’s silver Sea Wave Wedges with transparent uppers in Los Angeles, while Tyla selected Jeffrey Campbell’s Booyah sandals, designed with a wide vinyl strap and cutout wedge, for the opening ceremony in Mexico City. —Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 13 June 2026

Anthropic has said publicly that the government should be able to block unsafe deployments through a process that is transparent, fair, clear and grounded in technical facts. —Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026

The debate highlights a broader question facing restaurants of whether protecting workers from cultural differences in tipping expectations requires automatic charges or whether strong service and transparent pricing are enough to encourage customers to tip voluntarily. —Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026

Full-height windows and the almost-transparent naval architecture seamlessly connect the indoors and out. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 12 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Medieval Latin transparent-, transparens, present participle of transparēre to show through, from Latin trans- + parēre to show oneself

Noun

transparent + -ness

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Rhymes for transparent

• aberrant
• apparent
• declarant
• grandparent
• stepparent
• errant
• parent
• semitransparent

Kids Definition

transparent

adjective

trans·​par·​ent tran(t)s-ˈpar-ənt 

-ˈper-

1

a

: transmitting light so that objects lying beyond are entirely visible

b

: fine or sheer enough to be seen through

transparent gauze

2

: easily detected or understood : obvious

transparent falsehood

transparently adverb

Medical Definition

transparent

adjective

trans·​par·​ent -ənt 

1

: having the property of transmitting light without appreciable scattering so that bodies lying beyond are seen clearly

2

: allowing the passage of a specified form of radiation (as X-rays or ultraviolet light)