Surreptitious

Pronunciation

• US IPA: /ËŒsɜɹ.É™pˈtɪʃ.É™s/

Origin

From Latin surrepticius ("stolen, furtive, clandestine"), from surreptus, past participle of surripere ("seize secretly, steal, pilfer"), from sub- ("under") + rapere ("to snatch").

Full definition of surreptitious

Adjective

1. Stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert (especially movements).
• 1922, Ben Travers, A Cuckoo in the Nest Chapter 1, He read the letter aloud. Sophia listened with the studied air of one for whom, even in these days, a title possessed some surreptitious allurement.

Synonyms

Derived terms

• surreptitiously