intransparent

Intransparent is an adjective that denotes not transparent. It can describe a physical material that does not permit light to pass through, or a state or process that is not easily understood or open to scrutiny. The term is used in contexts where clarity or openness is contrasted with concealment or obstruction.

Etymology and usage history: The word is formed from the privative prefix in- attached to transparent, which derives from Latin transparens, meaning “shining through.” In English, intransparent appears in older linguistic usage and remains in use in formal, technical, or literary registers. In everyday writing, more common terms are opaque for physical properties and obscure for information.

Modern usage and nuances: For physical properties, “intransparent” is largely synonymous with “opaque,” but “opaque” is the preferred term in contemporary writing. When used metaphorically, “intransparent” describes systems, processes, or communications that lack transparency, making information difficult to access, interpret, or verify. Examples include describing an intransparent bureaucracy or intransparent contractual terms.

See also: transparent, opaque, opacity, obfuscation, obscurity, secrecy.