diaphanous

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /daɪˈæfənəs/ UK /daɪˈæfənəs/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
light, delicate, and translucent; almost transparent

She wore a diaphanous gown that shimmered in the candlelight.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · light, delicate, and... translucent sheer gossamer filmy gauzy transparent delicate

Opposites

opaque thick dense

Word family

Derived forms diaphanouslydiaphaneitydiaphanousness

Related forms diaphaneepiphany phenomenon

Simplified etymology

Diaphanous, recorded in the early 17th century, contains Greek dia-, “through” or “across,” and has the literal sense “shows through.”

Etymology

From Medieval Latin diaphanus, from Ancient Greek diaphanes ('transparent'), from dia- ('through') + phainein ('to show, shine').

diaphanes Ancient Greek phainein Ancient Greek *bʰeh₂- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# diaphanous

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /daɪˈæfənəs/
**IPA (UK):** /daɪˈæfənəs/

## Meanings
1. light, delicate, and translucent; almost transparent

## Examples
- She wore a diaphanous gown that shimmered in the candlelight.

## Synonyms
- translucent
- sheer
- gossamer
- filmy
- gauzy
- transparent
- delicate

## Antonyms
- opaque
- thick
- dense

## Derived Forms
- diaphanously
- diaphaneity
- diaphanousness

## Related Forms
- diaphane
- epiphany
- phenomenon

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: diaphanes
- Root: phainein
- Root: *bʰeh₂-

## Etymology
From Medieval Latin diaphanus, from Ancient Greek diaphanes ('transparent'), from dia- ('through') + phainein ('to show, shine').

## AI Etymology
Diaphanous comes from Medieval Latin diaphanus, from Ancient Greek diaphanes ('transparent'), from dia- ('through') + phainein ('to show, shine'). The etymological trail includes Ancient Greek diaphanes, Ancient Greek phainein, and Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂-. As an adjective, diaphanous describes what is light, delicate, and translucent; almost transparent. The same family is visible in derived forms such as diaphanously, diaphaneity, and diaphanousness and related forms such as diaphane, epiphany, and phenomenon. The analysis is partly morphological, with the modern form built from the elements named in the history.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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