# transparency

/tɹænˈspɛɹənsi/ (US) · /tɹænspˈæɹənsi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/transparency
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. physical clarity

noun · CEFR B2

the quality of being clear so that you can see through it.

For teachers: the physical property of allowing light to pass through a material so that objects behind it can be distinctly seen.

- The water in the mountain lake was famous for its perfect transparency.
- The glass manufacturer achieved a level of transparency that made the display cases almost invisible to the museum visitors.

### 2. honesty and openness

noun · CEFR B2

the quality of being open and honest, without hiding secrets.

For teachers: the characteristic of being easy to perceive or detect; in a social context, the lack of hidden agendas or conditions.

- The public demanded more transparency from the government about how taxes are spent.
- The new CEO promised radical transparency regarding the company's environmental impact and supply chain ethics.

### 3. photographic slide

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a plastic sheet or film with a picture on it that you show using a projector.

For teachers: a positive photographic image on a transparent base, viewed by transmitted light or via a projector.

- The professor used a transparency on the overhead projector to show the map.
- Before digital presentations became the norm, photographers would often submit large-format transparencies to magazines for high-quality reproduction.

### 4. digital audio/video quality

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

when a compressed file sounds or looks exactly like the original.

For teachers: the state where a lossy compression codec produces output that is perceptually indistinguishable from the original uncompressed source.

- This audio format offers transparency even at lower bitrates.
- The engineer argued that the new algorithm achieved full transparency, meaning even trained listeners could not identify the compressed file in a blind test.

## Examples

- The window has perfect transparency.
- The public demanded more transparency from the government regarding how tax money was being spent on the new project.
- While the physical transparency of the building's glass facade was meant to symbolize openness, critics argued that the internal corporate culture remained opaque and secretive.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.