surreptitious
UK: ˌsʌrəpˈtɪʃəs | US: ˌsɜːrəpˈtɪʃəs
adj. done secretly or stealthily to avoid being noticed
adj. characterized by deception or concealment
surreptitious = sur<under> + rept<creep> + itious<adjective suffix>
- sur<under>: From Latin sub- (under, secretly).
- rept<creep>: From Latin reptare (to creep, crawl), related to repere (to sneak).
- itious<adjective suffix>: Latin-derived suffix forming adjectives, often implying a quality or tendency.
Etymology Origin:
The word surreptitious traces back to Latin surrepticius, meaning "stolen" or "secretly obtained," from surripere (to take secretly). The morphemes reflect the act of "creeping under" (sur- + rept-), evolving into its modern sense of covert or deceptive behavior. The suffix -itious reinforces its adjectival form, emphasizing the hidden nature of the action.
She made a surreptitious glance at her notes during the exam.
The spy exchanged surreptitious signals with his contact.
He took surreptitious photos of the confidential document.
Their surreptitious meeting went unnoticed by the guards.
The journalist used surreptitious methods to uncover the truth.