Agency Dictionary

Transparency

nounPronunciation: /trænsˈpær.ən.si/

What does “Transparency” mean?

The quality of being open, easily understood, and free from deceit or concealment. In business and public administration, it requires accessible accounting and honest stakeholder disclosure.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin transparentia, formed on transparens, the present participle of transparere, 'to show through', which joins trans- ('through') and parere ('to appear, to be visible'). The noun names the quality of being clear, open, and free from concealment.

Usage note

In governance and business, transparency is a normative principle requiring that decisions and finances be open to inspection; it is not simply the physical property of being see-through.

Synonyms

openness
candor
clarity

Word family

transparent
transparently

Concepts

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

MetaMarketing.1 - Time to ESGApril 11, 2023Read the edition

Words of the same theme

Antithesisnoun: A person, thing, or concept that represents the direct or exact opposite of another.
Discursiveadjective: Proceeding by reasoned argument or sequential exposition rather than by immediate visual intuition.
Treatisenoun: A formal, systematic, and comprehensive written work dealing methodically with the principles and evidence of a particular philosophical, scientific, or technical subject.
Maximnoun: A concise statement expressing a fundamental principle, general truth, or practical rule of conduct.
stakeholdernoun: A person or group with an interest in a project or an organization and affected by its results, such as clients, managers, investors or users.
rhetoricnoun: The art of effective and persuasive speaking or writing, especially through strategic linguistic devices.
Tangibleadjective: Perceptible by the sense of touch or capable of being physically grasped and measured in concrete physical reality. It distinguishes concrete material products from virtual or intellectual entities.
Holisticadjective: Characterized by the comprehension of parts as intimately interconnected and explicable only in reference to the whole.
Abyssnoun: A deep or seemingly bottomless chasm, either in physical geography or metaphorical psychological depth. It evokes feelings of unfathomable emptiness or existential peril.
aestheticsnoun: A set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, artistic taste, and style.
Affectnoun: An expressed or experienced emotion, feeling, or visceral response to a stimulus in psychology and philosophy.
Agapenoun: A selfless, unconditional, and altruistic form of love often associated in theology with divine charity.

Also from these editions: terms

Acronymnoun: A word formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. It simplifies complex institutional designations into recognizable units.
Degenerationnoun: The process of declining from a higher to a lower state of quality, vitality, or structural integrity. It characterizes systemic decay within neglected institutions or ecosystems.
Endogenousadjective: Originating, growing, or developing from within an internal system rather than from external influences. It describes organic resources, native factors, and self-regulating organizational dynamics.
Fictionalizeverb: To turn real events, characters, or brand narratives into imaginative storytelling formats. It allows storytellers and marketers to communicate deeper emotional truths through symbolic narratives.
Intertextualitynoun: The complex relationship and dialogue between different texts and cultural expressions. It demonstrates how contemporary works constantly reference, adapt, and transform preceding ideas.
Liquiditynoun: The quality of flowing easily, adapting continuously, and lacking permanent shape. In modern sociology, it describes the transient, rapidly changing nature of contemporary social relationships.
Manifestonoun: A public written declaration setting forth the intentions, motives, political convictions, or philosophical principles of an individual, artistic group, or corporate enterprise.
Mindsetnoun: An established set of attitudes and habitual assumptions held by a person or organization. It shapes how information is processed and how challenges are approached.
Skepticismnoun: An attitude of doubt or critical inquiry regarding claims that lack clear empirical proof. It protects consumers and researchers from accepting deceptive assertions uncritically.
Soliditynoun: The state or quality of being firm, coherent, and durable in physical or organizational form. In cultural theory, it describes the stable structures and long-lasting institutions of classical modernity.
Regenerationnoun: The renewal, restoration, or revival of a biological organism, ecosystem, or cultural structure after decline or damage.