transparent

/tɹænsˈpæɹənt/

//tɹænsˈpæɹənt// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"transparent" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“transparent” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #7,073 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#7,073
frequency rank, English
11
letters
18
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - See-through, clear; having the property that light passes through it almost undisturbed, such that one can see through it clearly.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

transparent vs transparently
85% similar
transparent vs transparency
83% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for transparent
PropertyValue
Headwordtransparent
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/tɹænsˈpæɹənt/
Letters11
Frequency rank#7,073
Misspellings tracked18
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “transparent” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). transparent lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for transparent is 11 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /tɹænsˈpæɹənt/. Corpus data places it at rank #7,073 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 18 likely wrong-spelling variants for transparent, with forms such as "rtansparent", "tarnsparent", and "trannsparent". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "transparently", "transparency", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Medieval Latin trānspārēns, trānspārēntis (“transparent”), present participle of transpareō, from Latin trans + pareō. Displaced native Old English þurhsīene. The correct English form is transparent, spelled T-R-A-N-S-P-A-R-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    See-through, clear; having the property that light passes through it almost undisturbed, such that one can see through it clearly.
  2. 2
    See-through, clear; having the property that light passes through it almost undisturbed, such that one can see through it clearly.
  3. 3
    Open, public; having the property that theories and practices are publicly visible, thereby reducing the chance of corruption.
  4. 4
    Obvious; readily apparent; easy to see or understand.
  5. 5
    Having the property of transparency, i.e. sufficiently accurate that the compressed result is perceptually indistinguishable from the uncompressed input.
  6. 6
    Not noticeable because it happens automatically or in the background; invisible.

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin trānspārēns, trānspārēntis (“transparent”), present participle of transpareō, from Latin trans + pareō. Displaced native Old English þurhsīene.

Synonyms

see-throughdiaphanousclearcrystallinelimpidsheerapparentclearobviousclear as crystalglassyhyalinehyaloidlucidpellucidperspicuousserenetransparenttranspicuousvitreous

Antonyms

opaqueobscureopaquenontransparentnon-transparenthazytranslucent

This word in other languages

transparente(Español)transparent(Français)durchsichtig(Deutsch)transparente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: rtansparent,tarnsparent,trannsparent,tranpsarent,transaprent,transpaernt,transparennt,transparentt,transparetn,transparnet,transparrent,transpparent,transpraent,transsparent,trasnparent,trnasparent,trransparent,ttransparent

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of transparent - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

rtansparent2tarnsparent2trannsparent1tranpsarent2transaprent2transpaernt2transparennt1transparentt1
Edit distance from "transparent"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "transparent"?
"transparent" is spelled T-R-A-N-S-P-A-R-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /tɹænsˈpæɹənt/.
What does "transparent" mean?
As an adjective, "transparent" means: See-through, clear; having the property that light passes through it almost undisturbed, such that one can see through it clearly.
What words are commonly confused with "transparent"?
"transparent" is commonly confused with "transparently", "transparency". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "transparent"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "transparent" is /tɹænsˈpæɹənt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "transparent"?
Borrowed from Medieval Latin trānspārēns, trānspārēntis (“transparent”), present participle of transpareō, from Latin trans + pareō. Displaced native Old English þurhsīene. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “transparent”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is T-R-A-N-S-P-A-R-E-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /tɹænsˈpæɹənt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “transparently” - see the side-by-side comparison. transparent vs transparently
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list