Pellucid
/pəˈluːsɪd/
adjectiveC2
Definition
Pellucid describes something that is completely clear, like clean water you can see through easily. It can also describe ideas, explanations, or writing that are very easy to understand without confusion.
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See It in Action
Very clear in appearance, like water or glass
- •The mountain stream was pellucid, showing every pebble below.
- •Her eyes were pellucid pools of blue.
- •The lake’s pellucid water reflected the sky perfectly.
Very clear in meaning or style; easy to understand
- •The professor gave a pellucid explanation of the problem.
- •His writing is pellucid and easy for all readers.
- •The instructions were pellucid, so everyone followed them correctly.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "pellucid" like "clear" (A1 word), but much stronger—like glass or pure water that you can see perfectly through
- ✓Picture a clear mountain lake where you can see the stones at the bottom without any dirt or cloudiness
- ✓It's the feeling when someone explains something so simply that you understand it right away, no confusion
- ✓Sounds like "peh-LOO-sid" → imagine a "loo" (bathroom) so clean and clear you see everything inside perfectly
- ✓Think of a crystal-clear diamond or a clean window that lets all the light through without any dirt
- ✓NOT like "clear" (which can be general), "pellucid" means perfectly clear, almost shining with clarity
- ✓NOT like "muddy" or "cloudy" which block your view; pellucid is the opposite—pure and transparent
- ✓NOT like "complicated" or "confusing," but very simple and easy to understand
Try Other Words
- •Transparent: allowing light to pass through so you can see clearly (Use when talking about physical objects like glass or water)
- •Crystal-clear: very clear and pure (Use in informal speech to describe water, explanations, or images)
- •Lucid: clear and easy to understand (Use mainly for ideas, explanations, or thoughts)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "pel-" (from Latin root related to "through") + "lucid" (clear, light)
- •Etymology: From Latin "pellucidus," meaning "allowing light to pass through," literally "through light"
- •Historical development: Used since the 1600s in English to describe clear liquids or writing that is easy to see or understand
- •Modern usage: Used in literature and formal speech to describe perfect clarity in appearance or meaning
Reflect & Connect
•How can something be pellucid in meaning but not in appearance? Can ideas be "seen" clearly like water?
•When might it be important to have a pellucid explanation instead of just a clear one?
Fill in the blanks
1.The lake was so pellucid that you could ___ the fish swimming below the surface.
2.A pellucid explanation helps people understand ___ without confusion.
3.Unlike cloudy water, pellucid water is ___ and easy to see through.
4.When writing is pellucid, it is usually ___ and not filled with difficult words.
5.The teacher spoke in a pellucid manner, making the complex topic ___ for all students.
6.If a speech is not pellucid, the audience might feel ___ or confused.
7.The diamond was pellucid, shining with ___ clarity and light.