incognito
Americanadjective
adverb
noun
-
a person who is incognito.
-
the state of being incognito.
-
the disguise or character assumed by an incognito.
adverb
noun
-
a person who is incognito
-
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).
Vocabulary lists containing incognito
100 Words Every High School Graduate Should Know
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In the Know: Cogn, Conn
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The Catcher in the Rye
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Meta has introduced a new incognito chat option for its AI model.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
However there are concerns about how incognito mode could hide AI malfunction or abuse.
From BBC • May 13, 2026
New York state Assemblymember Emerita Torres posted as well, saying “our personal data should not be used against us. We should not have to go incognito to avoid price gouging.”
From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026
Three months into the show’s run, Ms. King went to a performance incognito.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 2025
His new shield, with the blazon of his incognito, was propped in front of him.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
