What is Translucency?

Translucent materials allow light to pass through them only diffusely, that is, the material distorts the image. Also known as diaphaneity, a commonly used term in mineralogy.
A view through a translucent material is blurry or distorted. Examples of translucent materials are frosted glass, paper (tracing paper), and some kinds of amber. It can sometimes be difficult to identify translucent objects. For example, while it is easy to see the fur of a Polar Bear is white, it takes a truly close look to learn it is also translucent. Opacity is based either on absorption or on reflection of the light falling onto the material.