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surreptitious
adjective
Kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of; stealthy.
Advanced - Used in formal or literary contexts
Etymology
From Latin surrepticius "stolen, clandestine," from surripere "to steal, take away secretly," from sub- "under" + rapere "to seize."
Examples in Use
- 1.
"He took a surreptitious glance at his phone."
- 2.
"Their surreptitious meetings aroused suspicion."
- 3.
"The surreptitious recording violated privacy laws."
Related Vocabulary
Synonyms
secretcovertstealthyclandestinefurtive
Related Words
sneakyunderhandedhiddenprivate
Fun Fact
Surreptitious comes from "seizing secretly from below." It suggests actions that are hidden because they're not approved—more guilt-laden than simply "secret."
Word Game Tips
Letters: 13 letters (S, U, R, R, E, P, T, I, T, I, O, U, S)
Scrabble Value: 15 points
Tip: Words ending in "US" are often good scoring opportunities.
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