What does translucent mean?
Word: Translucent
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Translucent means letting light pass through, but not clearly enough for you to see through it, like frosted glass or thin paper.
Synonyms: semi-transparent
Antonyms: opaque
How do you spell translucent?
Syllables: trans - lu - cent
Tricky part: The 'sent' sound at the end is spelt -cent, as in innocent. Students often add an s and write transluscent, or use s and write translusent.
Watch out for: transluscent, translusent, translucant
Memory tip: Lucid and translucent share the Latin luc, 'light': light comes through translucent glass, even if the view does not.
Translucent in a sentence
Example 1: The bathroom window has translucent glass, so the room is bright but private.
Example 2: Grandma's paper lanterns were translucent and glowed orange at Diwali.
Example 3: Some jellyfish are so translucent that you can make out their insides.
Fun Fact
Fine bone china is translucent. Hold a thin bone china cup up to a lamp and you can see the shadow of your fingers through its side.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Twins
Choose the correct option to fill both blanks:
1. Wax paper is ___ : a lamp behind it glows, but you cannot make out the bulb. 2. A clean window pane is ___ : you can see everything on the other side.
a) transparent/translucent
b) translucent/transparent
c) 'transparent' in both
d) 'translucent' in both
Show answer
b) translucent/transparent. Wax paper blurs what is behind it, so it is translucent; a clean pane hides nothing, so it is transparent.
Jumble Tumble
What is the meaning of the word that can be formed from the given letters?
cultnatsern
a) shining with a soft, steady glow
b) letting light in while hiding the details of what lies behind
c) able to bend easily without breaking
d) giving out a bright light of its own
Show answer
b) letting light in while hiding the details of what lies behind. The eleven letters spell translucent.
Spellacadabra
Choose the option in which the following letters will fit in the given order:
a, u
a) tr__nsl__cent
b) tr__mp__line
c) s__cc__lent
d) c__nf__dent
Show answer
a) tr__nsl__cent. Trampoline takes a and o, succulent u twice, and confident o and i; only translucent takes a, then u.
Spell Spies
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) lumineous
b) radiant
c) translucent
d) transparent
Show answer
a) lumineous. Luminous has no e before the -ous.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A lamp glows softly through a translucent shade. What could the shade be?
a) a thick red brick wall
b) a heavy steel cupboard door
c) a polished wooden table top
d) a lampshade made of rice paper
Show answer
d) a lampshade made of rice paper
2. In a room with translucent curtains on a sunny day, the room will be ___.
a) freezing cold
b) pitch dark
c) very noisy
d) softly lit
Show answer
d) softly lit
