optical opacity
- noun
- /ˈɑptɪkəl oʊˈpeɪsɪti/
- Specialized
- The optical opacity of the new window material greatly reduces glare from the sun.
Examples
-
A seal that one could define dialectically: optical opacity—the screen is not transparent—and fictive transparency—the two sequences join up.
Academic text (2004) -
The optical opacity of the paint used in the artwork prevents any light from passing through.
-
Artists often use optical opacity in their work to create depth and contrast.
Synonyms
4
7.0
How much light or other rays something does not let through
1
7.1
How much a material reduces the amount of light that passes through it
1
7.0
How much a material does not let light pass through
Antonyms
How Opaque
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'optical' (relating to light/vision) modifies 'opacity' (the degree to which something blocks light), so the combined phrase simply refers to how much a material prevents light transmission. There is no idiomatic or metaphorical shift—only a technical collocation—so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the meaning.
Etymology
Optical opacity uses optical (about light) and opacity (how much something blocks light) to paint a simple picture: think of a curtain, fog, or frosted glass that stops the sun. So, the phrase means 'how much a material does not let light pass through'.