surreptitious

[sur-uhp-tish-uhs]

adjective

1. obtained, done, made, etc., by stealth; secret or unauthorized; clandestine.

   a surreptitious glance.

2. acting in a stealthy way.

3. obtained by subreption; subreptitious.

surreptitious

/ ˌsʌrəpˈtɪʃəs /

adjective

1. done, acquired, etc, in secret or by improper means

2. operating by stealth

3. characterized by fraud or misrepresentation of the truth

Other Word Forms

• surreptitiously adverb
• surreptitiousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of surreptitious¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin surreptīcius “stolen, clandestine,” equivalent to surrept(us), past participle of surripere “to steal,” ( sur- sur- ² + rep-, combining form of rapere “to snatch, plunder” ( rape ¹ ) + -tus past participle suffix) + -īcius adjective suffix ( -itious )

Word History and Origins

Origin of surreptitious¹

C15: from Latin surreptīcius furtive, from surripere to steal, from sub- secretly + rapere to snatch

Example Sentences

Others find decoys to place in their pouches, pocketing their real devices for surreptitious use throughout the school day.

From Los Angeles Times

A sheriff’s jail supervisor testified that Baker also tried to leave coded kites — a surreptitious method of inmate communication using handwritten binary code on paper — in a courthouse stairwell that the widow used after him.

From Los Angeles Times

After the couple found out about her surreptitious sterilization, “All our plans came tumbling down.”

From Los Angeles Times

It was suggested it had been conducted by the UK to be able to blame Russia "as part of a sort of bizarre and surreptitious intelligence operation of some variety", he added.

From BBC

For the defense, the government’s surreptitious recordings were hard to overcome.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• clandestine 
• covert 
• furtive 
• hush-hush 
• unauthorized