Transparency
/trænˈspær.ən.si/noun
The quality of being easy to see through or understand.
Did you know?The word comes from Latin roots meaning “to show across” or “to shine through,” which is why it originally described literal visibility before becoming a metaphor for truth and openness.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
transparēre
“to show through, be visible through”
Late Latin
Latin
transparentia
“quality of being translucent or visible through”
14th Century
Middle French
transparence
“transparency, translucence”
14th–15th Century
English
transparence
“quality of being see-through”
16th Century
English
transparency
“quality of being transparent; later, openness or candor”