What does Diaphanous mean?
Definitions for Diaphanous
daɪˈæf ə nəsdi·aphanous
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word Diaphanous.
Princeton's WordNet
diaphanous, filmy, gauzy, gauze-like, gossamer, see-through, sheer, transparent, vaporous, vapourous, cobwebbyadjective
so thin as to transmit light
"a hat with a diaphanous veil"; "filmy wings of a moth"; "gauzy clouds of dandelion down"; "gossamer cobwebs"; "sheer silk stockings"; "transparent chiffon"; "vaporous silks"
Wiktionary
diaphanousadjective
Transparent; allowing light to pass through; capable of being seen through.
diaphanousadjective
Of a fine, almost transparent texture, e.g. gossamer.
Etymology: From diaphanus (from διαφανής).
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
DIAPHANOUSadjective
Transparent; clear; translucent; pellucid; capable to transmit light.
Etymology: διὰ and φάινω.
Aristotle calleth light a quality inherent, or clearing to a diaphanous body. Walter Raleigh, History of the World.
When he had taken off the insect, he found in the leaf very little and diaphanous eggs, exactly like to those which yet remained in the tubes of the fly’s womb. John Ray, on the Creation.
Wikipedia
diaphanous
In the field of optics, transparency (also called pellucidity or diaphaneity) is the physical property of allowing light to pass through the material without appreciable scattering of light. On a macroscopic scale (one in which the dimensions are much larger than the wavelengths of the photons in question), the photons can be said to follow Snell's law. Translucency (also called translucence or translucidity) allows light to pass through, but does not necessarily (again, on the macroscopic scale) follow Snell's law; the photons can be scattered at either of the two interfaces, or internally, where there is a change in index of refraction. In other words, a translucent material is made up of components with different indices of refraction. A transparent material is made up of components with a uniform index of refraction. Transparent materials appear clear, with the overall appearance of one color, or any combination leading up to a brilliant spectrum of every color. The opposite property of translucency is opacity. When light encounters a material, it can interact with it in several different ways. These interactions depend on the wavelength of the light and the nature of the material. Photons interact with an object by some combination of reflection, absorption and transmission. Some materials, such as plate glass and clean water, transmit much of the light that falls on them and reflect little of it; such materials are called optically transparent. Many liquids and aqueous solutions are highly transparent. Absence of structural defects (voids, cracks, etc.) and molecular structure of most liquids are mostly responsible for excellent optical transmission. Materials which do not transmit light are called opaque. Many such substances have a chemical composition which includes what are referred to as absorption centers. Many substances are selective in their absorption of white light frequencies. They absorb certain portions of the visible spectrum while reflecting others. The frequencies of the spectrum which are not absorbed are either reflected or transmitted for our physical observation. This is what gives rise to color. The attenuation of light of all frequencies and wavelengths is due to the combined mechanisms of absorption and scattering.Transparency can provide almost perfect camouflage for animals able to achieve it. This is easier in dimly-lit or turbid seawater than in good illumination. Many marine animals such as jellyfish are highly transparent.
ChatGPT
diaphanous
Diaphanous refers to a texture or material that is light, delicate, and translucent or transparent. It can also describe something as vague or insubstantial.
Webster Dictionary
Diaphanousadjective
allowing light to pass through, as porcelain; translucent or transparent; pellucid; clear
Etymology: [Gr. , fr. to show or shine through; dia` through + to show, and in the passive, to shine: cf. F. diaphane. See Phantom, and cf. Diaphane, Diaphanic.]
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Diaphanous
dī-af′a-nus, adj. shining or appearing through, transparent, clear—also Diaphan′ic.—ns. Dī′aphane, a diaphanous figured silk fabric; Diaphanom′eter, an instrument for testing the transparency of the air; Diaphan′oscope, a darkened box for viewing transparent positive photographs; Diaphan′otype, a picture produced by colouring on the back a positive lightly printed on translucent paper, and placing this exactly over a strong duplicate print.—adv. Diaph′anously.—ns. Diaph′anousness, Diaphanē′ity. [Gr. diaphanes—dia, through, and phainein, to show, shine.]
Entomology
Diaphanous
semi-transparent; clear.
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of Diaphanous in Chaldean Numerology is: 5
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of Diaphanous in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9
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