diaphanous
/daɪˈæf.ə.nəs/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Diaphanous means very light, thin, and almost transparent. It often describes cloth, fabric, or something that looks delicate and see-through.
- She wore a diaphanous white scarf.
- The curtains were diaphanous in the sunlight.
- A diaphanous dress floated in the breeze.
Adinary Nuance
Diaphanous is more elegant and literary than thin or sheer. Use it when you want to suggest delicacy, beauty, or lightness, not just lack of thickness. It is often used in writing about clothes, fabric, or poetic images.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- mỏng manh
- Spanish
- traslúcido
- Chinese
- 半透明的
- Japanese
- 薄手の
- Korean
- 반투명한
Etymology
Diaphanous comes from Greek, through Late Latin and French. It entered English in the 17th century, with the sense of something thin enough for light to pass through.
Common phrases
diaphanous fabricdiaphanous dressdiaphanous curtainsdiaphanous veil
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is diaphanous a common everyday word?
- No, it is fairly literary and formal. People use it more in writing, fashion descriptions, or poetry.
- What is the difference between diaphanous and sheer?
- Both can mean see-through. Diaphanous sounds more elegant and delicate; sheer is more common in daily English.
- Can I use diaphanous for things other than clothes?
- Yes. You can use it for curtains, veils, or anything light and thin enough to seem transparent.