diaphanous

adjective

di·​aph·​a·​nous dī-ˈa-fə-nəs 

1

: characterized by such fineness of texture as to permit seeing through

diaphanous fabrics

a diaphanous curtain

2

: characterized by extreme delicacy of form : ethereal

painted diaphanous landscapes

3

: insubstantial, vague

had only a diaphanous hope of success

diaphanously adverb

diaphanousness noun

Did you know?

What do the words diaphanous, epiphany, fancy, phenomenon, sycophant, emphasis, and phase all have in common? The Greek word phaínein shows more clearly in some of these words than in others, but it underlies all of them. The groundwork for diaphanous was laid when phaínein (meaning "to bring to light, cause to appear") was combined with the prefix dia- (meaning "through"). From that pairing came the Greek diaphanḗs ("transparent"), parent of the Medieval Latin diaphanus, which is the direct ancestor of the English word.

Synonyms of diaphanous

• transparent
• sheer
• translucent

Examples of diaphanous in a Sentence

the bride wore a diaphanous veil

Recent Examples on the Web

In front of the Louvre Pyramid, Eileen Gu stepped out this week wearing a set of diaphanous wings — a fitting ensemble for an Olympic athlete whose sport sends her airborne. —Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026

The semi-diaphanous design featured see-through long sleeves as well as sheer mesh that bared her sides and appeared to wrap around the back. —Lara Walsh, InStyle, 3 Mar. 2026

The end result is a pretty amorphous, diaphanous structure, reminiscent of Lynda Benglis—something very unusual in my work. —Theo Belci, Artforum, 27 Feb. 2026

Meanwhile, Tate McRae opted for a diaphanous sheer white gown at last year’s VMAs. —Meg Walters, Glamour, 25 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

extension with -ous of Medieval Latin diafanus, diaphanus, borrowed from Greek diaphanḗs "transparent, manifest, conspicuous," adjective derivative from the stem of diaphaínein "to let be seen through," diaphaínesthai "to show through, be seen through," from dia- dia- + phaínein (active voice) "to bring to light, cause to appear," and phaínesthai (middle voice) "to become visible, come to light, appear" — more at fantasy entry 1

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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