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surreptitious

 - 3 dictionary results

sur⋅rep⋅ti⋅tious

  [sur-uhp-tish-uhs]
Use surreptitious in a Sentence
–adjective
1. obtained, done, made, etc., by stealth; secret or unauthorized; clandestine: a surreptitious glance.
2. acting in a stealthy way.
3. obtained by subreption; subreptitious.
Origin:
1400–50; late ME < L surreptīcius stolen, clandestine, equiv. to surrept(us), ptp. of surripere to steal, (sur- sur- 2 + rep-, comb. form of rapere to snatch, rape 1 + -tus ptp. suffix) + -īcius -itious

Related forms:
sur⋅rep⋅ti⋅tious⋅ly, adverb
sur⋅rep⋅ti⋅tious⋅ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To surreptitious
sur·rep·ti·tious   (sûr'əp-tĭsh'əs)   
adj.  

  1. Obtained, done, or made by clandestine or stealthy means.

  2. Acting with or marked by stealth. See Synonyms at secret.


[Middle English, from Latin surreptīcius, from surreptus, past participle of surripere, to take away secretly : sub-, secretly; see sub- + rapere, to seize; see rep- in Indo-European roots.]
sur'rep·ti'tious·ly adv., sur'rep·ti'tious·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

surreptitious 
1443, from L. surrepticius "stolen, furtive, clandestine," from surreptus, pp. of surripere "seize secretly," from sub "from under" (hence, "secretly") + rapere "to snatch" (see rapid).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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