incognito

American  

[in-kog-nee-toh, in-kog-ni-toh] / ˌɪn kɒgˈni toʊ, ɪnˈkɒg nɪˌtoʊ /

adjective

1. having one's identity concealed, as under an assumed name, especially to avoid notice or formal attentions.

   Synonyms:

   unidentified, undisclosed

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adverb

1. with the real identity concealed.

   to travel incognito.

noun

plural

incognitos

1. a person who is incognito.

2. the state of being incognito.

3. the disguise or character assumed by an incognito.

incognito British  

/ ɪnˈkɒɡnɪtəʊ, ˌɪnkɒɡˈniːtəʊ /

adverb

1. under an assumed name or appearance; in disguise

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noun

1. a person who is incognito

2. the assumed name or disguise of such a person

Etymology

Origin of incognito

First recorded in 1630–40; from Italian, from Latin incognitus “unknown,” from in- in- ³ + cognitus “known” (past participle of cognōscere “to get to know”; see cognition)

Explanation

When you want to do something and not be recognized, go incognito — hiding your true identity. It is funny that the words, recognize and incognito, are both related to the Latin verb, cognoscere, "to get to know" because when you do something incognito, you do not want to be recognized. Celebrities often try to go out or travel incognito so that they may have some privacy, whereas an average person might want to remain incognito in order to observe something they might not otherwise be able to see (like a celebrity).

Example Sentences

The trick of using an incognito browser to find cheaper airfare is unlikely to yield major savings because airlines have sophisticated ways of identifying stored cookies and users’ locations.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026

Use the chatbot’s incognito mode, which won’t save the query to your account and will prevent it from being used to train the model.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 25, 2025

"I'm afraid that if I'm walking, I will be approached by agents in incognito clothes and plain disguise," he continued.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2025

You might need to open an incognito window or use a different browser after you make settings changes to double-check that they’ve taken effect.

From Slate • Dec. 29, 2024

Along the way the coachman suggests we’d be wise to travel incognito.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood