• Today's Word

Pellucid

🔊 Listen to the word Pellucid

peh-LOO-sid

Definition

(adjective) Translucently clear; easily understood; expressed with perfect clarity

Example

His pellucid explanation of the complex tax code left the entire room nodding in understanding.

Word Origin

Pellucid derives from the Latin pellucidus, meaning “transparent” or “allowing light through,” from per (“through”) + lucere (“to shine”). It entered English in the 17th century, used first to describe physically clear substances like water or glass, and later extended metaphorically to describe clear, luminous writing and thought.

Fun Fact

Pellucid has long been a favorite word of literary critics praising exceptional prose. Writers like E.B. White and George Orwell were frequently described as having a pellucid style — meaning their writing let ideas shine through without distraction or clutter. The word carries a subtle implication that clarity is itself a kind of beauty, not just the absence of confusion. In geology, pellucid is still used technically to describe minerals and crystals that allow light to pass through them cleanly.