Word of the Day
August 2, 2023
Opacity
The quality or state of being opaque; the quality or state of being mentally obtuse; the quality or state of a body that makes it impervious to the rays of light.
From Latin 'opacitas' meaning shadiness or darkness, derived from 'opacus' meaning shaded or dark.
Usage Examples
- The opacity of the new charges indicting President Trump would make any banana republic proud.
- The legislative opacity surrounding Prop 108's opt-out provisions was designed to make the threshold impossible to reach.
- Government agencies often hide behind regulatory opacity to avoid public accountability for their decisions.
From the Show
Kim introduced opacity in the context of the Trump indictments, noting their vague and ambiguous nature. The concept proved relevant throughout the episode as Todd Watkins exposed the opacity built into Colorado’s open primary opt-out provisions, designed to appear optional while being practically impossible to exercise. Trent Loos similarly identified opacity in how CO2 pipeline easements are presented to struggling farmers. Explore these connections in Listen to the full episode.