Optical properties of cadmium sulfide nanowires of $50–100\mathrm{nm}$ diameter prepared by the pulsed-laser vaporization method have been studied using photoacoustic, UV-Vis, Raman, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The photoacoustic (PA) technique yielded clean spectra with a steeper absorption edge for as-prepared opaque semiconducting CdS nanowires when compared to the corresponding con ventional optical absorption spectra. The PA signal intensity was also significantly higher for nanowires. The Raman spectrum revealed increased exciton–longitudinal-optical-phonon coupling. The appearance of a narrow photoluminescence peak at $491\mathrm{nm}$ (FWHM $\sim 9\mathrm{nm}$ ) and the absence of emission above $500\mathrm{nm}$ demonstrate the high quality of nanowires. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy showed excellent ordering of the atoms in the $[001]$ planes perpendicular to the growth direction.