opaque

Where does the word "opaque" come from? It comes from Latin opacus, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).

Opaque’s story begins in Latin: opacus meant “shaded, dark.” Shaded, dark, not allowing light through. It reached English by 1400s as opaque. Settled as the English word for something not letting light pass through. Today, opaque means not able to be seen through, blocking the passage of light.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient opacus "shaded, dark", shaded, dark, not allowing light through.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1400s opaque "not allowing light to pass through", settled as the English word for something not letting light pass through.