eloquentserendipityephemeralluminous

Your Smart Vocabulary Companion

Discover, understand, and master new words with intelligent definitions, contextual synonyms, and personalized learning tools.

"

Word of the Day

Sunday, January 26, 2025

diaphanous

/dīˈafənəs/adjective

Light, delicate, and translucent; so fine and transparent as to be almost invisible.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin "diaphanus," from Greek "diaphanes" (transparent), from "dia-" (through) + "phainein" (to show). Literally "showing through."

Usage Examples

  1. "She wore a diaphanous silk scarf that seemed to float around her shoulders."

  2. "The diaphanous curtains allowed soft morning light to filter into the room."

  3. "Dragonfly wings are diaphanous - delicate sheets of shimmering transparency."

Synonyms

  • Sheer
  • Translucent
  • Gossamer
  • Filmy
  • See-through

Fun Facts

  • Fashion designers love this word to describe delicate, flowing fabrics.
  • It's stronger than "transparent" - suggests both sheerness and beauty.
  • Often used in poetry to describe ethereal, delicate qualities.

Related Terms

  • Gossamer: Something very light, thin, and insubstantial
  • Translucent: Allowing light to pass through partially; semi-transparent
  • Ethereal: Extremely delicate and light; seeming to belong to another world
Browse Archive

Explore Features

Recently Viewed

Your recently viewed words will appear here

Start exploring

Boost your vocabulary routine

When you need inspirational prompts to explore alongside WordWell, the creative collections inside PromptCraft pair beautifully with our Word of the Day. For deeper synonym dives, the contextual comparisons on SynonymPro help you refine tone before you save new favorites here.