surreptitious

[ sur-uhp-tish-uhs ]

/ ˌsɜr əpˈtɪʃ əs /

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See synonyms for: surreptitious / surreptitiously / surreptitiousness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

obtained, done, made, etc., by stealth; secret or unauthorized; clandestine: a surreptitious glance.

acting in a stealthy way.

obtained by subreption; subreptitious.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of surreptitious

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin surreptīcius “stolen, clandestine,” equivalent to surrept(us), past participle of surripere “to steal,” (sur- sur-² + rep-, combining form of rapere “to snatch, plunder” (see rape¹) + -tus past participle suffix) + -īcius adjective suffix (see -itious)

OTHER WORDS FROM surreptitious

sur·rep·ti·tious·ly, adverbsur·rep·ti·tious·ness, noun

Words nearby surreptitious

surrebuttal, surrebutter, surrejoinder, surrender, surrender value, surreptitious, surreptitiously, surrey, surrogacy, surrogate, surrogate mother

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use surreptitious in a sentence

I try to be a little more surreptitious about it so it doesn’t scare him, but I do watch him.
For many families, the countdown has begun to coronavirus vaccines for younger children|Lindsey Bever|September 27, 2021|Washington Post
That’s where organoids can provide a window into the surreptitious process.
The Cancer Custodians - Issue 102: Hidden Truths|Lina Zeldovich|June 23, 2021|Nautilus
Already, companies are trying surreptitious fingerprinting methods to circumvent Apple’s crackdown on app tracking in its mobile operating system.
Google’s opaque practices to restrict fingerprinting create confusion among its ad tech partners|Kate Kaye|June 3, 2021|Digiday
The surreptitious communication can occur without using computer memory, sockets, files, or any other operating system feature, developer Hector Martin said.
Covert channel in Apple’s M1 is mostly harmless, but it sure is interesting|Dan Goodin|May 28, 2021|Ars Technica

Quanta Magazine spoke with Darden recently about her experience working for NASA, how to make fast planes quieter, and her surreptitious visits to speak with schoolchildren and Girl Scouts.
The NASA Engineer Who’s a Mathematician at Heart|Susan D'Agostino|January 19, 2021|Quanta Magazine
Last month I turned and faced their surreptitious security: “Catch any thieves today?”
‘Why Have I Lost Control?’: Cory Booker in ’92 on Rodney King Echoes Ferguson|Cory Booker|November 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Stephanie often takes surreptitious photographs of fellow commuters for a not-yet-realized blog.
Leaky Ceilings, Catcalls, and Uncaged Pythons: 4 Hours on NYC’s Worst Subway|Kevin Zawacki|August 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They refused until they had “achieved their surreptitious climax.”
Speed Read: 11 Most Shocking Moments From Pete Townshend’s ‘Who I Am’|Abby Haglage|October 8, 2012|DAILY BEAST
But by 1953, with McCarthyism and the second Red Scare in full swing, the FBI moved from surreptitious research to direct contact.
Inside Howard Zinn's FBI Files|Clark Merrefield|July 30, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Grandmother Penny and Mr. Spackles went to the circus in a more or less surreptitious manner.
Scattergood Baines|Clarence Budington Kelland
The house was but a small one, with no surreptitious closets or cupboards, or other hiding-places.
Johnny Ludlow, Fourth Series|Mrs. Henry Wood
She took a surreptitious glance at the profile of Captain Goritz.
The Secret Witness|George Gibbs
It was his first surreptitious taste of fame on the Atlantic coast, and not without its delight.
Mark Twain, A Biography, 1835-1910, Complete|Albert Bigelow Paine
She reflected quickly that he could not have known anything of her surreptitious trading with the peddler.
Duffels|Edward Eggleston

British Dictionary definitions for surreptitious

surreptitious

/ (ˌsʌrəpˈtɪʃəs) /

adjective

done, acquired, etc, in secret or by improper means

operating by stealth

characterized by fraud or misrepresentation of the truth

Derived forms of surreptitious

surreptitiously, adverbsurreptitiousness, noun

Word Origin for surreptitious

C15: from Latin surreptīcius furtive, from surripere to steal, from sub- secretly + rapere to snatch

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

surreptitious

Origin of surreptitious

OTHER WORDS FROM surreptitious

Words nearby surreptitious

Words related to surreptitious

How to use surreptitious in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for surreptitious

Derived forms of surreptitious

Word Origin for surreptitious