Turbid describes a liquid that is cloudy, murky, or filled with suspended particles that make it hard to see through. When a river becomes turbid after a heavy rainstorm, mud and sediment swirl through the water, turning it brown and opaque. A clear mountain stream is the opposite of turbid, but that same stream can become turbid after spring snowmelt stirs up soil from the riverbed.

Scientists use this word precisely: turbid water contains tiny floating particles of dirt, algae, or other materials. An aquarium becomes turbid when you first add gravel and disturb the bottom. A glass of freshly squeezed orange juice with pulp is technically turbid, though we usually reserve the word for water or other liquids that should be clear.

Turbid also appears in medical contexts: doctors might describe turbid fluid when discussing certain conditions. Turbidity is the noun form, measuring just how cloudy something is.