Noun: opacity ow'pa-su-tee [N. Amer], ow'pa-su-tee or u'pa-su-tee [Brit]
- The quality of being opaque to a degree; the degree to which something reduces the passage of light
"The opacity of the curtains blocked out all sunlight";
- opaqueness
- The phenomenon of not permitting the passage of electromagnetic radiation
"The opacity of the material made it ideal for blocking harmful UV rays"
- Incomprehensibility resulting from obscurity of meaning
"The opacity of the legal jargon confused many readers";
- opaqueness
Derived forms: opacities
See also: opaque
Type of: incomprehensibility, physical phenomenon, quality
Antonym: clearness, transparence
Encyclopedia: Opacity