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

Three months into the show’s run, Ms. King went to a performance incognito.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 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

All cancers -- particularly immune-silent, fast-growing cancers like glioblastoma -- produce signals called antigens that scientists can use in immune therapies to manually alert the immune system to the presence of incognito cancers.

From Science Daily • Dec. 3, 2024

How do you go incognito to the multiplex, I ask.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 2, 2024

They planned to stay incognito until they knew for certain that the new baker was their old friend, the spooky Madame.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood