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surreptitious
[ sur-uhp-tish-uhs ]
/ ËsÉr ÉpËtÉȘÊ És /
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This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
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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Origin of surreptitious
First recorded in 1400â50; late Middle English, from Latin surreptÄ«cius âstolen, clandestine,â equivalent to surrept(us), past participle of surripere âto steal,â (sur- sur-2 + rep-, combining form of rapere âto snatch, plunderâ (see rape1) + -tus past participle suffix) + -Ä«cius adjective suffix (see -itious)
OTHER WORDS FROM surreptitious
sur·rep·ti·tious·ly, adverbsur·rep·ti·tious·ness, nounWords 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
British Dictionary definitions for surreptitious
surreptitious
/ (ËsÊrÉpËtÉȘÊÉs) /
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, nounWord 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
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