Meanings
nounopalescence (countable and uncountable, plural opalescences)
plural opalescences
- countableuncountablethe state of being opalescent
- countableuncountablenatural sciencesthe milky iridescent appearance of a dense transparent medium when it is illuminated by polychromatic visible radiation (such as sunlight) due to local fluctuations in its density and therefore in its refractive index
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe visual property of something having a milky brightness and a play of colors from the surface
Similar
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Translations
Czech opalescence, opalizace
- opalescencestate of being opalescent
- opalizacestate of being opalescent
Cite this entry
APA
opalescence. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/opalescence
MLA
“opalescence.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/opalescence. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “opalescence,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/opalescence.
Source: opalescence on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.