Perspicuous
adj.thoughtful, capableformal
What it means
Expressed with enough clarity and order to be understood easily.
Reach for it when praising an explanation or style that makes a difficult subject plain
The engineer's perspicuous account let residents compare the two flood plans.
Choose between these
6- everyday
when easy understanding is the straightforward point
not when Clear is the broad default and can describe visibility as well as language.
- everyday
plain
if direct, familiar wording removes needless complexity
not when Plain can imply simplicity of style rather than logical precision.
- warm
well explained
when accessible language should credit the act of explanation
not when Well explained is natural but applies to one explanation rather than a whole style.
- professional
when the threshold is whether the audience can make sense of it
not when Intelligible may mean barely understandable, a weaker compliment.
- formal
for an explanation whose reasoning remains transparent throughout
not when Lucid often suggests difficult material and is more elevated than necessary.
- literary
pellucid
for exceptionally transparent prose in an elevated register
not when Pellucid is rare and can distract readers from the clarity being praised.
Said against
3- obscure
- confusing
- incomprehensible
It naturally appears in
3- perspicuous style
A perspicuous style made the legal guide useful beyond the profession.
- perspicuous explanation
The diagram supported a perspicuous explanation of the valve sequence.
- perspicuous account
Her perspicuous account identified both the decision and its evidence.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English adjective sense: clearly expressed and intelligible opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.