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adj. 1. Sufficiently thin or airy as to be translucent: a diaphanous gown; diaphanous gauze. 2. Of such fine composition as to be easily damaged or broken; delicate: diaphanous butterfly wings. [From Medieval Latin diaphanus, transparent, from Greek diaphanēs, from diaphainein, to be transparent : dia-, dia- + phainein, phan-, to show; see bhā-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] di′a·pha·nei·ty (dī′ə-fə-nēĭ-tē), di·apha·nous·ness n. di·apha·nous·ly adv. |
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