transparent
Definitions
General Science
- adjective allowing electromagnetic radiation of specific wavelengths to pass through
Aviation
Computing
- adjective used to describe an image that shows another image beneath it
- adjective used to describe a computer program which is not obvious to the user or which cannot be seen by the user when it is running
Electronics
- A body, material, or medium which freely passes radiant energy, such as light, or sound.
- A body, material, or medium which freely passes one form of radiant energy, such as visible light, but does not pass others, such as infrared light.
- A body, material, or medium which freely passes one type of particle, such as photons, but does not pass others, such as ions.
- The passing of a signal through a communications network with no changes, or no detectable changes, as occurs, for instance, in transparent routing.
- In computers and communications, a change in hardware and/or software which does not produce any detectable changes, especially those which impair operation.
Information & Library Science
- adjective easily seen through, recognised or understood
Law
- adjective open and honest about official actions
Medical
- adjective able to be seen through
Origin & History of “transparent”
Etymologically, something that is transparent allows the light to ‘appear through’ it. The word comes via Old French from medieval Latin trānspārēns, the present participle of trānspārēre ‘be seen through’. this was a compound verb formed from the Latin prefix trāns- ‘across, through’ and pārēre ‘show, appear’ (source of English appear).
