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obscura

[əbˈskjʊrə (English) / ɔbˈskuɾɐ (Portuguese)]
adjectivefemininepl: obscuras
obscura; escura
1. dark, dim, or lacking light
The obscura room was lit only by a small window.
A sala obscura era iluminada apenas por uma pequena janela.
2. not clearly expressed or easily understood; vague or mysterious
The obscura references in the text made it difficult to understand.
As referências obscuras no texto tornaram-no difícil de compreender.
3. relating to camera obscura, an optical device
The camera obscura principle was used in early photography.
O princípio da câmara obscura foi utilizado na fotografia primitiva.
Synonyms
darkdimmurkyshadowyunclearvaguecrypticenigmatic
Antonyms
clearbrightluminousobviousexplicittransparent

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
escura; obscura
Both terms used; 'escura' more common in everyday speech
São Paulo
obscura
Used in formal and technical contexts
Portugal
obscura; escura
Formal register; 'escura' preferred colloquially

Related Idioms & Phrases

camera obscura
in obscura
the obscura side
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