perspicuous

per·spic·u·ous

adjective \pər-ˈspi-kyə-wəs\

Definition of PERSPICUOUS

: plain to the understanding especially because of clarity and precision of presentation <a perspicuous argument>

— per·spi·cu·i·ty \ˌpər-spə-ˈkyü-ə-tē\ noun

— per·spic·u·ous·ly \pər-ˈspi-kyə-wəs-lē\ adverb

— per·spic·u·ous·ness noun

Examples of PERSPICUOUS

1. <believing that poetry need not be as perspicuous as prose, he writes poems that are intentionally ambiguous>

Origin of PERSPICUOUS

Latin perspicuus transparent, perspicuous, from perspicere

First Known Use: 1586

Related to PERSPICUOUS

Synonyms

apparent, bald, bald-faced, barefaced, bright-line, broad, clear-cut, crystal clear, decided, distinct, evident, lucid, luculent, luminous, manifest, nonambiguous, obvious, open-and-shut, palpable, patent, pellucid, clear, plain, ringing, straightforward, transparent, unambiguous, unambivalent, unequivocal, unmistakable

Antonyms

ambiguous, clouded, cryptic, dark, enigmatic (also enigmatical), equivocal, indistinct, mysterious, nonobvious, obfuscated, obscure, unapparent, unclarified, unclear, unclouded

Related Words

cognizable, cognoscible, comprehendible, comprehensible, digestible, fathomable, graspable, intelligible, knowable, understandable; self-evident, self-explanatory; clean-cut, simple, tidy, uncomplicated; overt, undisguised; appreciable, perceptible, recognizable, sensible, tangible; discernible (also discernable), noticeable, observable, visible; black-and-white, explicit, trenchant, well-defined; clean, decipherable, fair, legible, readable

Near Antonyms

incomprehensible, indecipherable, unfathomable, unintelligible, unknowable; impalpable, imperceptible, inappreciable, indiscernible, insensible; cloudy, gauzy, gray (also grey), hazy, imprecise, indefinite, indeterminate, misty, murky, nebulous, noncommital, sketchy, slippery, subtle, vague; illegible, undecipherable, unreadable

See Synonym Discussion at clear

Rhymes with PERSPICUOUS

conspicuous, transpicuous