Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
opacous. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
opacous, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
opacous in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
opacous you have here. The definition of the word
opacous will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
opacous, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
From Latin opacus (“shaded, shady, dark”) + -ous.
Adjective
opacous (not comparable)
- (obsolete, chiefly poetic) Not shining or illuminated; dark.
1667, John Milton, “(please specify the page number)”, in Paradise Lost. , London: [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker ; nd by Robert Boulter ; nd Matthias Walker, , →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: , London: Basil Montagu Pickering , 1873, →OCLC:The firm opacous Globe / Of this round World, whose first convex divides / The luminous inferior Orbs.
- (obsolete) Not allowing the passage of light; opaque.
1659 December 30 (date written), Robert Boyle, “”, in New Experiments Physico-Mechanicall, Touching the Spring of the Air, and Its Effects, (Made, for the Most Part, in a New Pneumatical Engine) , Oxford, Oxfordshire: H Hall, printer to the University, for Tho Robinson, published 1660, →OCLC, page 309:And vve particularly remember, that, being at ſome diſtance from London one Night, that the People, upon a very vvell-come Occaſion, teſtified their Joy by numerous Bon-fires; though, by reaſon of the Interpoſition of the Houſes, vve could not ſee the Fires themſelves, yet vve could plainly ſee the Air all enlighten'd over and near the City; vvhich argu'd, that the lucid Beams ſhot upvvards from the Fires, met in the Air with the Corpuſcles opacous enough to reflect them to our Eyes.
1665, R[obert] Hooke, chapter X, in Micrographia: Or Some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies Made by Magnifying Glasses. , London: Jo Martyn, and Ja Allestry, printers to the Royal Society, , →OCLC:[I]f you take ammel that is almost opacous, and grind it very well on a Porphyry, or Serpentine, the small particles will by reason of their flaws, appear perfectly opacous […]
1681, Nehemiah Grew, Musæum Regalis Societatis. Or A Catalogue & Description of the Natural and Artificial Rarities Belonging to the Royal Society and Preserved at Gresham Colledge. , London: W. Rawlins, for the author, →OCLC:The upper wings are opacous; at their hinder ends, where they lap over, transparent, like the wing of a fly.