The Meaning of Lucid: What It Is and How To Use It

Do you know the definition of lucid? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the word lucid, including its definition, etymology, usage, example sentences, and more!

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What does the word lucid mean?

According to Definitions, Collins English Dictionary and the American Heritage Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, the word lucid is an adjective that can be used literally or figuratively to mean transparently clear or easily understandable. This can be used to mean having a clear mine, coherent or logical, or limpid or transparent. Someone who is lucid will not exhibit irresponsible behaviour. Some people can only be lucid by use of medication in psychiatry, while others are driven to madness by  narcotics. The word lucid usually refers to people who can pass a field sobriety test given by a drug-recognition expert and other sobriety tests, like able speech, not smelling of the odor of alcohol, and more.  Lucid is two syllables – lu-cid, and the pronunciation of lucid is ˈlu sɪd. Many things can be lucid, including lucid air, lucid writing, a lucid thinker, lucid directions, lucid crystal-clear skies, a lucid transparent crystal.

Many different languages also contain words that mean lucid. You may find that some of these words look and sound similar to each other. This is likely because they are of a similar origin. Usually, cognates are formed when two words have a common ancestor such as Latin or Greek. Cognates are words that look, sound, and mean something similar across languages. This list of translations of lucid is provided by Word Sense.

  •  Polish: jasny‎, klarowny‎, przejrzysty‎ (masc.)
  •  Catalan: lúcid‎
  •  Finnish: selvä‎, selkeä‎
  •  Spanish: lúcido‎
  •  German: klar‎, übersichtlich‎, verständlich‎, einleuchtend‎, luzid‎, deutlich‎
  •  Russian: я́сный‎, поня́тный‎
  •  Serbo-Croatian: razumljiv‎ (masc.)
  •  French: clair‎ (masc.), claire‎ (fem.)
  •  Macedonian: јасен‎, луциден‎
  •  Portuguese: lúcido‎

What is the origin of the word lucid?

According to Etymonline, Latin lucidus/Latin lūcidus, from the Latin roots lūc and idus. Latin lux, the stem of lūx light. This comes from the Latin lūcēre and leuk in Proto-Indo-European roots. Related words can be formed with the suffixes ty and ness, and this word has cognated in the French lucide and Italian lucido. 

How can the word lucid be used in a sentence?

The word lucid can be used in many different sentences in natural sounding English. Using words in a sentence is a great way to memorize their definition. You can also try to make flashcards or quizzes for yourself to test your knowledge of definitions. Learning new words is a great way to make yourself sound smarter and to improve your vocabulary. Try using this word of the day in a sentence today. Below are several examples of lucid.

The participants went through a period of normality and lucidness and felt a feeling of relief after going through withdrawals. They suffered immense pain from doctors Villanueva and Gonzalez who made them quit cold turkey, but they finally had a clear mind and luculent oration.

The child looked through the lucid piece of glass up at the crystal clear skies and down to the bottom of the limpid pool, which was filled with the cold crystalline water of melted snow that flowed in through the pellucid brook. 

Robert Burton had a mental disorder that made his linguistic communication less than lucid. He could only communicate through the use of sounds and non conventional symbols. He had a radiance of intellect that was hidden under delirium, and the researchers at Princeton University studied him using systematic means. He was their primary soul source but they had a number of tertiary sources like encyclopedias and detailed advice to reference.

Lucid dreamers experience rapid eye movement sleep on a regular basis. On an important note, a number of people know an experienced lucid dreamer who can dream outside the regular operations of reason.

What are synonyms and antonyms of lucid?

There are many different words that are equivalent to the word lucid. Synonyms are words and phrases that have the same or a similar definition as another word or phrase. Synonyms are a useful English language tool because they can help you to avoid repeating the same word over and over again while simultaneously expanding your vocabulary. This list of synonyms for the word lucid is provided by Power Thesaurus

  •  crystal
  •  cogent
  •  both oars in water
  •  right
  •  unmistakable
  •  understandable
  •  obvious
  •  see-through
  •  bright
  •  sharp
  •  manifest
  •  clarity
  •  compos mentis
  •  transparent
  •  crystal clear
  •  effulgent
  •  clear-headed
  •  pellucid
  •  reasoned
  •  intelligible
  •  fluent
  •  vivid
  •  explicit
  •  definite
  •  lustrous
  •  beaming
  •  graphic
  •  translucent
  •  lucidity
  •  limpid
  •  clearer
  •  diaphanous
  •  unambiguous
  •  crystalline
  •  gauzy
  •  fathomable
  •  light
  •  coherent
  •  refulgent
  •  straightforward
  •  graspable
  •  rational
  •  perspicuous
  •  resplendent
  •  sensible
  •  incandescent
  •  effective
  •  apparent
  •  pure
  •  in one’s right mind
  •  clear
  •  straight
  •  clear-cut
  •  realistic
  •  strong
  •  lucent
  •  expressive
  •  of sound mind
  •  comprehendible
  •  unequivocal
  •  able to think clearly
  •  shining
  •  normal
  •  evident
  •  reasonable
  •  sound
  •  transpicuous
  •  radiant
  •  clearheaded
  •  lambent
  •  comprehensible
  •  valid
  •  eloquent
  •  clear headed
  •  balanced
  •  legible
  •  unclouded
  •  brilliant
  •  well-defined
  •  articulate
  •  luculent
  •  sober
  •  luminous
  •  distinct
  •  logical
  •  uncomplicated
  •  self-explanatory
  •  healthy
  •  easily understood
  •  having all marbles
  •  plain
  •  cloudless
  •  mentally sound
  •  direct
  •  persuasive
  •  simple
  •  apprehensible
  •  sane
  •  consistent
  •  all there

There are also a number of words that mean the opposite of the word lucid. These opposite words are known as antonyms, which are words and phrases that have the opposite definitions as another word or phrase. Antonyms are also a useful tool to expand a person’s vocabulary. This list of antonyms for the word lucid is also provided by Power Thesaurus

  •  screwball
  •  deranged
  •  as black as pitch
  •  puzzled
  •  dim
  •  buggy
  •  crackpot
  •  crazed
  •  crazy
  •  loopy
  •  dusky
  •  shadowy
  •  gloomy
  •  abstruse
  •  clairvoyant
  •  indistinct
  •  loony
  •  as black as night
  •  whacky
  •  round the bend
  •  lunatic
  •  ambiguous
  •  weirdo
  •  dark
  •  kookie
  •  crackers
  •  nonsensical
  •  mental
  •  kook
  •  vague
  •  equivocal
  •  insane
  •  fruity
  •  demented
  •  as black as midnight
  •  kooky
  •  mad
  •  dotty
  •  gaga
  •  as black as a dog’s guts
  •  irrational
  •  incomprehensible
  •  unhinged
  •  wacko
  •  murky
  •  imprecise
  •  incoherent
  •  indefinite
  •  haywire
  •  screwy
  •  nut
  •  cloudy
  •  opaque
  •  madman
  •  clouded
  •  indeterminate
  •  daft
  •  bats
  •  cracked
  •  wacky
  •  nuts
  •  nutty
  •  balmy
  •  cuckoo
  •  delirious
  •  hazy
  •  somber
  •  barmy
  •  bonkers
  •  unreasonable
  •  black
  •  madwoman
  •  batty
  •  psychotic
  •  unsound
  •  confused
  •  unbalanced
  •  unclear
  •  loco
  •  dull
  •  gray
  •  nutcase
  •  foggy
  •  foolish
  •  psychopath
  •  psycho
  •  maniac
  •  obscure
  •  as black as coal
  •  bananas

Overall, the word lucid means clear. This word can be used literally or figuratively.

Sources:

  1. Lucid synonyms – 1 194 Words and Phrases for Lucid | Power Thesaurus 
  2. Lucid antonyms – 1 175 Opposites of Lucid – Page 2 | Power Thesaurus 
  3. What does lucid mean? | Definitions 
  4. lucid: meaning, origin, translation | Word Sense 
  5. lucid | Origin and meaning of lucid | Online Etymology Dictionary