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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
sur·rep·ti·tious    Audio Help   [sur-uhp-tish-uhs] Pronunciation Key
–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, rape1 + -tus ptp. suffix) + -īcius -itious]

—Related forms
sur·rep·ti·tious·ly, adverb
sur·rep·ti·tious·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
surreptitious

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
sur·rep·ti·tious    Audio Help   (sûr'əp-tĭsh'əs)  Pronunciation Key 
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.
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
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
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
surreptitious

adjective
1. marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed; "a furtive manner"; "a sneak attack"; "stealthy footsteps"; "a surreptitious glance at his watch" [syn: furtive] 
2. conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods; "clandestine intelligence operations"; "cloak-and-dagger activities behind enemy lines"; "hole-and-corner intrigue"; "secret missions"; "a secret agent"; "secret sales of arms"; "surreptitious mobilization of troops"; "an undercover investigation"; "underground resistance" [syn: clandestine] 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Surreptitious

Sub*rep"tion\, n. [L. subreptio, fr. subripere, subreptum, to snatch or take away secretly: cf. F. subreption. See Surreptitious.] The act of obtaining a favor by surprise, or by unfair representation through suppression or fraudulent concealment of facts. --Bp. Hall.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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