Standard Lemma guide

covert

adj · name · noun · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈkəʊvɜːt/
  • UK: /kəʊˈvɜːt/
  • UK, dated: /ˈkʌvət/
  • US: /ˈkoʊvɚt/
  • US: /koʊˈvɜɹt/
  • US, dated: /ˈkʌvɚt/
  • UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • UK: /ˈkʌvət/
  • US: /ˈkʌvɚt/
  • US, dated: /ˈkʌvɚ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: K OW1 V ER0 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Secret, surreptitious, concealed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • covert operations

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: overt

2

adj

Meaning 2

Hidden, covered over; overgrown, sheltered.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Under coverture.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

Topics: law

Examples

  • feme covert

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: covert baron

Antonyms: none provided

4

name

Meaning 4

A surname.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A covering.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A disguise.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

A hiding place.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

Area of thick undergrowth where animals hide.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

A feather that covers the bases of flight feathers.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, natural-sciences, ornithology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

adjective

Meaning 10

secret or hidden; not openly practiced or engaged in or shown or avowed

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • covert actions by the CIA
  • covert funding for the rebels

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: overt

11

adjective satellite

Meaning 11

(of a wife) being under the protection of her husband

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a woman covert

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

a covering that serves to conceal or shelter something

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a screen of trees afforded privacy
  • under cover of darkness
  • the brush provided a covert for game
  • the simplest concealment is to match perfectly the color of the background

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: screen, cover, concealment

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: covering

Narrower terms: blind, camouflage, shoji, stalking-horse

13

noun

Meaning 13

a flock of coots

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: flock

History

Etymology

From Middle English covert, from Old French covert, past participle of covrir (“to cover”) (corresponding to Latin coopertus); cognate to cover. Not closely related to overt, despite what the most common pronunciation would suggest.

Across languages

Translations

49 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: скрит (skrit) — secret
  • Bulgarian: прикрит (prikrit) — secret
  • Bulgarian: потаен (potaen) — secret
  • Czech: skrytý — secret
  • Czech: tajný — secret
  • Czech: skrývaný — secret
  • French: secret — secret
  • French: clandestin — secret
  • German: verdeckt — secret
  • Hungarian: rejtett — secret
  • Māori: munamuna — secret
  • Māori: whakamokamoka — secret
  • Māori: whakamomoka — secret
  • Māori: whakamokeke — secret
  • Māori: whakahewa — secret
  • Polish: ukradkowy — secret
  • Polish: potajemny — secret
  • Russian: секре́тный (sekrétnyj) — secret
  • Russian: скры́тый (skrýtyj) — secret
  • Russian: та́йный (tájnyj) — secret
  • Russian: потайно́й (potajnój) — secret
  • Serbo-Croatian: тајни — secret
  • Serbo-Croatian: скривен — secret
  • Serbo-Croatian: tajni — secret
  • Serbo-Croatian: skriven — secret
  • Spanish: encubierto — secret
  • Swedish: hemlig — secret
  • Swedish: förtäckt — secret
  • Swedish: dold — secret
  • Ukrainian: прихований (pryxovanyj) — secret
  • Ukrainian: таємний (tajemnyj) — secret
  • Dutch: schuilplaats — hiding place
  • Finnish: piilopaikka — hiding place
  • Finnish: piilo — hiding place
  • German: Versteck — hiding place
  • Irish: mothar — hiding place
  • Irish: muine — hiding place
  • Bulgarian: гъсталак (gǎstalak) — area of thick undergrowth for hiding
  • Czech: houští — area of thick undergrowth for hiding
  • Czech: houština — area of thick undergrowth for hiding
  • Czech: mlází — area of thick undergrowth for hiding
  • Finnish: suojakasvillisuus — area of thick undergrowth for hiding
  • German: Unterholz — area of thick undergrowth for hiding
  • Irish: mothar — area of thick undergrowth for hiding
  • Irish: muine — area of thick undergrowth for hiding
  • Manx: aaght — area of thick undergrowth for hiding
  • Czech: krycí pero — type of feather
  • Finnish: peitinhöyhen — type of feather
  • German: Deckfeder — type of feather