The word "opaque" is spelled with the letters o-p-a-q-u-e. The first sound, /o/ is a mid-back vowel, pronounced with the mouth open and the tongue low in the back of the mouth. The second sound, /p/, is a voiceless bilabial plosive, where the lips come together to stop the airflow before being released with a burst of sound. The remaining sounds, /eɪkw/, consist of the letters q-u-e, representing a unique sound in English which is a diphthong, a gliding vowel that begins with /e/ and ends with /w/.
Opaque is an adjective that describes something that is not transparent or translucent, making it difficult or impossible to see through. It refers to an object or substance that does not allow light to pass through, thus preventing the clear perception of objects or the transmission of light. This lack of transparency makes the object or substance appear dark, dull, or obscure.
In the realm of optics, opaque materials can block or absorb light entirely, reflecting very little or no light back to the observer. This property is often the result of the material's composition, structure, or density. Opaque objects include those made of dense metals, such as lead or iron, as well as certain minerals, ceramics, plastics, and fabrics that lack transparency.
Figuratively, opaque can be used to describe ideas, concepts, or speech that are difficult to understand, comprehend, or interpret due to their complexity, vagueness, or lack of clarity. In this context, the term refers to something that is obscure, unintelligible, or difficult to penetrate. For example, an opaque argument or a piece of opaque writing can hinder comprehension or confuse the reader.
In summary, opaque refers to an object or substance that does not allow light to pass through, thereby preventing transparency and clear visibility. It can also describe ideas or concepts that are difficult to understand or interpret due to their lack of clarity.
Impervious to light, not translucent or only slightly so.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Not transparent; obscure; dark.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "opaque" originated from the Latin word "opacus", meaning "dark, shady, or obscure". It was subsequently assimilated into the Old French language as "opac" with a similar meaning. Eventually, it evolved into Middle English during the late 14th century as "opaque", still retaining its essential meaning of something that is not transparent or not allowing light to pass through.