Translucid

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Permitting light to pass through in a diffused way while obscuring clear vision of objects on the other side
2. Semi-transparent enough to let light through but not clear enough to see distinctly through
3. Letting light travel through without being fully transparent or allowing precise sight lines

Etymology: "Translucid" is a close cousin of "translucent," and the two words split their Latin inheritance between them. Both come from Latin "translucere," meaning to shine through, built from "trans" ("across, through") and "lucere" ("to shine"). The Latin adjective "translucidus" is the source of the English form, and the same Latin root gives us "lucid," so light is hidden in both words. Translucid is the older-sounding of the pair in English and is less common in everyday use than "translucent," which is the more frequent choice today. Its French counterpart, "translucide," follows the same path from Latin, and English took the word from that Latin adjective rather than building it from scratch.

Synonyms: translucent, transparent, clear

Antonyms: opaque, dark