transparency.

1. The ability of a material to transmit light so that objects can be seen through it.

2. Openness that makes information, decisions or processes inspectable and understandable.

3. An image on transparent material intended to be viewed with light passing through it.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• optical transparency
• transparency of a material

On the page

Optical transparency allowed the markings behind the panel to remain visible.

The material’s transparency changed when its surface became clouded.

Usage notes

Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: Usually uncountable for transmission or openness; singular transparency, plural transparencies for images. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: criterion analysis, relative importance, potential and actual distinction, evidence interpretation. Disciplines: academic writing, institutional analysis, research and conceptual explanation. Commonness: moderately common.