lucid

adjective

lu·​cid ˈlü-səd How to pronounce lucid (audio)
1
a
: suffused with light : luminous
b
: translucent
snorkeling in the lucid sea
2
: having full use of one's faculties : sane
3
: clear to the understanding : intelligible
lucidly adverb
lucidness noun

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Shine a Light on the Origin of Lucid

Lucid comes from the Latin verb lucere, meaning "to shine," which is reflected in its meanings "filled with light" or "shining." It also describes someone whose mind is clear or something with a clear meaning.

Choose the Right Synonym for lucid

clear, perspicuous, lucid mean quickly and easily understood.

clear implies freedom from obscurity, ambiguity, or undue complexity.

clear instructions

perspicuous applies to a style that is simple and elegant as well as clear.

a perspicuous style

lucid suggests a clear logical coherence and evident order of arrangement.

a lucid explanation

Examples of lucid in a Sentence

The stroke also set off a major crisis of presidential succession, as the debilitated and not entirely lucid president continued to cling to office and plan feebly for re-election. Beverly Gage, New York Times Book Review, 13 Dec 2009
His lucid history of this grim subject is scrupulously accurate, so far as I am able to judge … Richard A. Posner, New Republic, 8 Apr 2002
"You would like me to read to you?" "You would oblige me greatly by doing so, Dorothea," said Mr. Casaubon, with a shade more meekness than usual in his polite manner. "I am wakeful: my mind is remarkably lucid." George Eliot, Middlemarch, 1872
The atmosphere, seen through a short space of half or three-quarters of a mile, was perfectly lucid, but at a greater distance all colours were blended into a most beautiful haze … Charles Darwin, The Voyage of the Beagle, 1839
He is able to recognize his wife in his lucid moments. those lucid bands that spread across the arctic sky and are known as the northern lights
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
With his understanding and lucid analysis of great-power politics, Hal, a professor at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, offers invaluable insights to everyone committed to deterring aggression and maintaining peace. John Cornyn, TIME, 2 Oct. 2024 No wonder this piece came out sounding lucid as chamber music, as though each line had been teased apart and individually combed. Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2024 Like Rose, seek out orange shades with a warm terracotta base, rather than a lucid neon, to keep this feeling autumnal. refinery29.com, 9 Sep. 2024 On Amazon alone, there are pages of products, from sleep masks designed to optimize deep sleep or promote lucid dreaming, to headbands promising to promote focus, and biofeedback headsets that will take your meditation session to the next level. Trevor Laurence Jockims, CNBC, 17 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lucid 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin lūcidus "bright, shining, light (of a place or time of day), clear to the understanding," adjective derivative, with the suffix -idus, corresponding to the verb lūcēre "to emit light, shine" — more at light entry 1

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of lucid was in 1591

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Dictionary Entries Near lucid

Cite this Entry

“Lucid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lucid. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

lucid

adjective
lu·​cid ˈlü-səd How to pronounce lucid (audio)
1
a
: bright with light : luminous
2
: having full use of one's reasoning ability : clear-minded
3
: clear to the understanding : plain
lucid writing
lucidity
lü-ˈsid-ət-ē
noun
lucidly
ˈlü-səd-lē
adverb
lucidness noun

Medical Definition

lucid

adjective
lu·​cid ˈlü-səd How to pronounce lucid (audio)
: having, showing, or characterized by an ability to think clearly and rationally
lucidity noun
plural lucidities

More from Merriam-Webster on lucid

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