pellucidus

Pellucidus is a Latin adjective meaning "clear, transparent, or easily understood." In classical Latin and in scientific Latin usage, it describes materials, tissues, or structures that allow light to pass through or that have a visibly transparent appearance. In taxonomic descriptions and other scholarly Latin phrases, the masculine form pellucidus is common, with feminine pellucida and neuter pellucidum used to agree with the noun.

Etymology and form: The term is formed in Latin as a standard property adjective. The sense it carries—transparency or translucence—has influenced its translation into English as pellucid in many contexts. In Latin texts, the form varies to match gender and number.

Usage: Pellucidus appears chiefly in older or Latin-language scientific literature, in descriptions of anatomical features, plant or animal structures, and paleontological or botanical specimens. In modern English writing, the adjective pellucid is more frequently used, with meanings close to “transparent,” “translucent,” or “clear.” Examples in historical sources might describe a “pellucid membrane” or a “pellucid zone” within an organism or fossil.

Variants and cognates: The masculine, feminine, and neuter forms are pellucidus, pellucida, and pellucidum, respectively. The English cognate is pellucid, and related terms include pellucidity, used to denote the quality of being transparent.

See also: Pellucid, Pellucidity, Latin in scientific nomenclature.