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Shine a Light on the Origin of Lucid
Let’s shine a light on lucid, an adjective whose senses of “shining” and “filled with light” reflect its roots in the Latin verb lucēre, meaning “to shine.” Lucid is also used to describe things that are visibly clear—that is, translucent (translucent being another lucēre descendent), as in “we enjoyed snorkeling in the lucid waters of the Caribbean.” Lucid is, however, most commonly applied in its figurative meanings where it can describe someone whose mind is clear, or something communicated with a clear meaning, as in “the author captured readers’ attention with her lucid prose,” and “the professor provided a lucid explanation of the topic.” Clearly, lucid has proven a useful and versatile word.
Synonyms
Examples of lucid in a Sentence
Beverly Gage, New York Times Book Review, 13 Dec 2009
His lucid history of this grim subject is scrupulously accurate, so far as I am able to judge …
—Richard A. Posner, New Republic, 8 Apr 2002
"You would like me to read to you?" "You would oblige me greatly by doing so, Dorothea," said Mr. Casaubon, with a shade more meekness than usual in his polite manner. "I am wakeful: my mind is remarkably lucid."
—George Eliot, Middlemarch, 1872
The atmosphere, seen through a short space of half or three-quarters of a mile, was perfectly lucid, but at a greater distance all colours were blended into a most beautiful haze …
—Charles Darwin, The Voyage of the Beagle, 1839
He is able to recognize his wife in his lucid moments.
those lucid bands that spread across the arctic sky and are known as the northern lights
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
With his understanding and lucid analysis of great-power politics, Hal, a professor at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, offers invaluable insights to everyone committed to deterring aggression and maintaining peace.
—John Cornyn, TIME, 2 Oct. 2024
No wonder this piece came out sounding lucid as chamber music, as though each line had been teased apart and individually combed.
—Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2024
Like Rose, seek out orange shades with a warm terracotta base, rather than a lucid neon, to keep this feeling autumnal.
—refinery29.com, 9 Sep. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Lucid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lucid. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
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lucid
adjective
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