Pellucid – Friday’s Word of the Day

Today’s word of the day at Dictionary.com, pellucid, is about as straightforward as words can be…perfectly clear in meaning…in other words, pellucid. A Latin word that entered the English language in the 17th century, pellucid finds its root in the adjective pellūcidus (the usual Latin spelling is perlūcidus) meaning “very clear, transparent.”  The Latin adjective lūcidus is thoroughly naturalized in English lucid, but the Latin prefix and preposition per- is adds intensity to the Latin root of the English word lucid (lūcidusis). Some examples of the prefex, “per” include: perbonus “very good, excellent,” perbrevis “very short,” perbene “very well,” perbellē “very charmingly,” and percelebrāre “to make thoroughly known.”  The Greek prefix and preposition perí serves the same purpose, as in Periklês (c 495-429 b.c.), the Athenian statesman, from the adjective perikleês “very famous.” It is defined as allowing the maximum passage of light, as glass; translucent; clear or limpid: pellucid waters.; clear in meaning, expression, or style: a pellucid way of writing.

So as I said, today’s word is very clear, very pellucid. I found a few references a la Google to this word. There is an eye disorder called Pellucid Marginal Degeneration (PMD) which is a bilateral (both eyes), non-inflammatory corneal disease characterized by severe inferior crescent shaped thinning. There are also a several businesses that use Pellucid in their name. Pellucid Analytics that provides” technologies to improve investment banker workflows.” Pellucid Water is a company that has developed cold plasma technology to treat water without creating secondary waste. Their process, they claim is a cost efficient alternative to multi-process systems currently being used. Pellucid water sounds like a wonderful thing. And there is a company that sells pellucid sound systems…also a wonderful use of the word. And finally, I found an instrumental piece by callasoiled (posted by Elegant Sister) called Pellucid Light. Here’s a link in case you want to have a listen:

Clearly, pellucidly (is that a word? Yes, in fact it is 😊) we are still using this 17th century word in our everyday vernacular. Though I had never heard it before today’s word of the day prompting. Had you? That’s why I do love this exercise (though, admittedly, I had taken a break from it for a few weeks). If this is a new word for you too, I hope you will find ways to insert it into your everyday discourse, as I do here in my haiku for the word of today…pellucid.

Have a great weekend.

I gaze at my feet
submerged in pellucid pools
fish nibbling my toes

~kat