clandestine

[ klan-des-tin ]
See synonyms for: clandestineclandestinelyclandestinenessclandestinity on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. characterized by, done in, or executed with secrecy or concealment, especially for purposes of subversion or deception; private or surreptitious: Their clandestine meetings went undiscovered for two years.

Origin of clandestine

1
First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin clandestīnus, from clamde, clande (unrecorded) (variant of clam “secretly” + -de, adverb particle) + -stīnus (probably after intestīnus “internal”; see intestine)

Other words for clandestine

Other words from clandestine

  • clan·des·tine·ly, adverb
  • clan·des·tine·ness, clan·des·tin·i·ty, noun
  • un·clan·des·tine·ly, adverb

Words Nearby clandestine

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How to use clandestine in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for clandestine

clandestine

/ (klænˈdɛstɪn) /


adjective
  1. secret and concealed, often for illicit reasons; furtive

Origin of clandestine

1
C16: from Latin clandestīnus, from clam secretly; related to Latin celāre to hide

Derived forms of clandestine

  • clandestinely, adverb
  • clandestineness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012