Definition of lucid
1a : suffused with light : luminousb : translucent snorkeling in the lucid sea
3 : clear to the understanding : intelligible
lucidly
adverblucidness
nounExplore Merriam-Webster
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Examples of lucid in a Sentence
His lucid history of this grim subject is scrupulously accurate, so far as I am able to judge … —Richard A. Posner, New Republic, 8 Apr 2002
“You would like me to read to you?” “You would oblige me greatly by doing so, Dorothea,” said Mr. Casaubon, with a shade more meekness than usual in his polite manner. “I am wakeful: my mind is remarkably lucid.” —George Eliot, Middlemarch, 1872
The atmosphere, seen through a short space of half or three-quarters of a mile, was perfectly lucid, but at a greater distance all colours were blended into a most beautiful haze … —Charles Darwin, The Voyage of the Beagle, 1839
The stroke also set off a major crisis of presidential succession, as the debilitated and not entirely lucid president continued to cling to office and plan feebly for re-election. —Beverly Gage New York Times Book Review, 13 Dec 2009
He is able to recognize his wife in his lucid moments.
those lucid bands that spread across the arctic sky and are known as the northern lights
Recent Examples of lucid from the Web
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Meanwhile on Monday, another luxury electric-car startup in California — Lucid Motors, based in Menlo Park — said its plans to start selling its Lucid Air sedan in 2019 remain on track.
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For the Louisville newspaper, Elson developed a reputation for her exacting reporting, graceful writing and lucid explanation of complicated issues.
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Truthfully, only those who were present for the incident, and those who saw the footage during Warner’s investigation, may know how lucid either party was at the time.
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Truthfully, only those who were present for the incident, and those who saw the footage during Warner’s investigation, may know how lucid either party was at the time.
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Comey was a lucid and persuasive witness on the President's character who framed his testimony as a defense of the FBI and the institutions of government.
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Mr. Salonen drew sensitive and colorful yet refined and lucid playing from the orchestra.
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But Blauner’s fable seems truer to its emotional beats, Natty and Lourdes powerfully real in their lucid, disillusioned idealism.
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The Supreme Court has an opportunity to refine a doctrine known as Chevron deference, and a lucid dissent from the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals deserves more attention.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lucid.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Shine a Light on the Origin of lucid
It's easy enough to shed some light on the origins of lucid: it derives—via the Latin adjective lucidus, meaning "shining"—from the Latin verb lucēre, meaning "to shine." Lucid has been used by English speakers since at least the late 16th century. Originally, it meant merely "filled with light" or "shining," but it has since developed extended senses describing someone whose mind is clear or something with a clear meaning. Other shining examples of lucēre descendants include translucent, lucent ("glowing"), and the somewhat rarer relucent ("reflecting light" or "shining"). Even the word light itself derives from the same ancient word that led to lucēre.
Origin and Etymology of lucid
Latin lucidus, from lucēre —see lucent
Synonym Discussion of lucid
LUCID Defined for English Language Learners
lucid
playDefinition of lucid for English Language Learners
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: very clear and easy to understand
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: able to think clearly
LUCID Defined for Kids
lucid
playDefinition of lucid for Students
1 : having or showing the ability to think clearly lucid behavior
2 : easily understood lucid writing
lucidly
adverb The problem was lucidly explained.Medical Dictionary
lucid
playMedical Definition of lucid
: having, showing, or characterized by an ability to think clearly and rationally
lucidity
noun plurallucidities
Learn More about lucid
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See words that rhyme with lucid Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for lucid Spanish Central: Translation of lucid Nglish: Translation of lucid for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of lucid for Arabic speakers
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