diaphanous

8 synonyms and 3 antonyms for diaphanous, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Adj — Clear or semi-transparent, letting light through and able to be seen through.

Synonyms

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

transparent sheer

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

vaporous cobwebby gossamer filmy gauzy vapourous

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adj

Clear or semi-transparent, letting light through and able to be seen through.

“The evening mist, drifting among the leafless poplars, veiled their silhouettes with a violet film, paler and more translucent than the most diaphanous gauze that might have caught in their branches.”

vaporous cobwebby gossamer transparent filmy gauzy vapourous sheer

Opposites

opaque

2. adj

Having a fine, nearly see-through texture; light and flimsy, like gossamer.

Opposites

thick solid

Etymology

Derived from Medieval Latin diaphanus, which came from Ancient Greek διαφανής (diaphanḗs), made up of δια- (dia-, "through") and φαίνω (phaínō, "to shine, appear").

Full origin of diaphanous →

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solid thick transparent sheer opaque gauzy vaporous gossamer filmy cobwebby

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