perspicuous

English

Etymology

From Latin perspicuus, in turn from perspiciō (see through).

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /pəˈspɪkjuːəs/
  • (General American) IPA(key): /pɚˈspɪkjuːəs/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)

Adjective

perspicuous (comparative more perspicuous, superlative most perspicuous)

  1. Clearly expressed, easy to understand; lucid.
    Synonyms: transparent, pervious; see also Thesaurus:comprehensible
    Antonyms: see Thesaurus:incomprehensible
    • 1776, Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations, Book I, Chapter 4:
      I am always willing to run some hazard of being tedious in order to be sure that I am perspicuous []
  2. (logic) (Of a language or notation) the process of inference from premises to conclusion is explicitly laid out.
  3. (literal, rare) That can be seen through clearly; that lets light through.
    Synonyms: transparent, see-through; translucent; see also Thesaurus:transparent
    Antonyms: imperspicuous; see also Thesaurus:opaque

Derived terms

Translations

References