clandestine

American  

[klan-des-tin] / klænˈdɛs tɪn /

adjective

1. characterized by, done in, or executed with secrecy or concealment, especially for purposes of subversion or deception; private or surreptitious.

   Their clandestine meetings went undiscovered for two years.

   Synonyms:

   illicit, confidential, underhand, hidden

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clandestine British  

/ klænˈdɛstɪn /

adjective

1. secret and concealed, often for illicit reasons; furtive

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Other Word Forms

• clandestinely adverb
• clandestineness noun
• clandestinity noun
• unclandestinely adverb

Etymology

Origin of clandestine

First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin clandestīnus, from clamde, clande (unrecorded) (variant of clam “secretly” + -de, adverb particle) + -stīnus (probably after intestīnus “internal”; intestine )

Example Sentences

Inevitably, money and sex — the currency of clandestine escape — have their place in “Transatlantic.”

From New York Times

The venue had the clandestine air of a speakeasy.

From New York Times

“They must be clandestine companies, I would say. They have nothing, nothing under my name, not even a piece of paper.”

From Seattle Times

Mr Michel, 50, is accused of taking the money from notorious Malaysian businessman Jho Low to carry out a "clandestine" influence campaign.

From BBC

"This will divert people into more dangerous, more risky, more clandestine modes of entry across 6,000 kilometres of border," Macklin said.

From Reuters

Related Words

• covert
• fraudulent
• furtive
• hidden
• hush-hush
• illicit
• surreptitious
• underground