Transparent means you can see through something clearly. A clean window is transparent: you can look right through the glass and see what's on the other side. Water, air, and clear plastic wrap are all transparent. The opposite of transparent is opaque, which means you can't see through it at all, like a wooden door or a brick wall.

The word also describes honesty and openness, especially when people or organizations share information freely. When a teacher explains exactly how she'll grade your project, showing you the rubric and answering all your questions, she's being transparent. When a company is transparent about how it makes its products, it openly shares details with customers. A transparent person reveals their motives and tells the truth about what they're doing.

This second meaning connects to the first: just as you can see through transparent glass, you can “see through” to the truth when someone is being transparent with you. When your friend is transparent about feeling left out, they're being honest and clear about their feelings. Transparency builds trust because people know they're getting the whole story, including all relevant details.