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Webster 1913 Edition

Surreptitious

Surˊrep-ti′tious

,
Adj.
[L.
surreptitius
, or
subreptitius
, fr.
surripere
,
subripere
, to snatch away, to withdraw privily;
sub-
under +
rapere
to snatch. See
Sub-
, and
Ravish
.]
Done or made by stealth, or without proper authority; made or introduced fraudulently; clandestine; stealthy;
as, a
surreptitious
passage in an old manuscript; a
surreptitious
removal of goods
.
–
Surˊrep-ti′tious-ly
,
adv.

Webster 1828 Edition

Surreptitious

SURREPTI'TIOUS

,
Adj.
[L. surreptitius, supra.] Done by stealth or without proper authority; made or introduced fraudulently; as a surreptitious passage in a manuscript.
A correct copy of the Dunciad, the many surreptitious ones have rendered necessary.

Definition 2024

surreptitious

surreptitious

English

Adjective

surreptitious ‎(comparative more surreptitious, superlative most surreptitious)

  1. Stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert (especially movements).
    • 1922, Ben Travers, chapter 1, in A Cuckoo in the Nest:
      He read the letter aloud. Sophia listened with the studied air of one for whom, even in these days, a title possessed some surreptitious allurement.

Synonyms

  • Wikisaurus:covert

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology

From Latin surrepticius ‎(“stolen, furtive, clandestine”), from surreptus, past participle of surripere ("seize secretly, steal, pilfer"), from sub- ("under") + rapere ("to snatch").

Pronunciation

  • (US) IPA(key): /ˌsɜɹ.əpˈtɪʃ.əs/

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