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Added 9 October 2026

surreptitious

/ˌsʌɹɪpˈtɪʃəs/ adjective

Latin root: surrēptīcius Wiktionary

adjective Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about surreptitious at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed.
a furtive manner
Conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods.
clandestine intelligence operations

Origin

Borrowed from Latin surrēptīcius (“furtive, clandestine”), from surrēpō (“to creep along”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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