Standard Lemma guide

surreptitious

adj · 3 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: /ˌsʌɹɪpˈtɪʃəs/
  • US: /səˌɹɛpˈtɪʃəs/
  • US: /ˌsʌɹəpˈtɪʃəs/
  • US: /ˌsɛɹəpˈtɪʃəs/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪʃəs
  • CMU ARPABET: S ER2 AH0 P T IH1 SH AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert (especially movements).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • 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

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: clandestine, cloak-and-dagger, hole-and-corner(a), hugger-mugger, hush-hush, secret, undercover, underground

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a furtive manner
  • a sneak attack
  • stealthy footsteps
  • a surreptitious glance at his watch

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: furtive, sneak(a), sneaky, stealthy

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin surrēptīcius (“furtive, clandestine”), from surrēpō (“to creep along”).

Across languages

Translations

59 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: прикрит (prikrit) — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Bulgarian: таен (taen) — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Bulgarian: подмолен (podmolen) — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Catalan: subreptici — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Catalan: clandestí — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Catalan: furtiu — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Chinese Mandarin: 偷偷的 (tōutōu de) — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Chinese Mandarin: 偷偷摸摸 (tōutōumōmō) — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Czech: tajný — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Czech: skrytý — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Czech: utajovaný — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Czech: tutlaný — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Czech: ututlaný — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Dutch: heimelijk — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Dutch: steels — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Dutch: verdoken — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Dutch: verdekt — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Dutch: stiekem — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Finnish: salainen — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Finnish: salamyhkäinen — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • French: furtif — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • French: subreptice — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • German: heimlich — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • German: verdeckt — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • German: verstohlen — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • German: betrügerisch — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • German: erschlichen — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Hungarian: alattomos — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Icelandic: laumulegur — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Icelandic: í laumi — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Icelandic: leynilegur — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Italian: surrettizio — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Italian: subdolo — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Italian: furbesco — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Italian: furtivo — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Northern Kurdish: dizîkî — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Northern Kurdish: nehînî — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Northern Kurdish: razberî — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Macedonian: скри́шен (skríšen) — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Macedonian: та́ен (táen) — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Māori: whakahewa — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Norwegian Bokmål: skjult — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Norwegian Bokmål: dulgt — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Norwegian Bokmål: fordekt — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Norwegian Bokmål: hemmelig — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Occitan: subreptici — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Occitan: furtiu — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Plautdietsch: heemlich — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Polish: ukradkowy — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Polish: dyskretny — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Portuguese: sub-reptício — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Portuguese: furtivo — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Russian: та́йный (tájnyj) — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Russian: скры́тый (skrýtyj) — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Serbo-Croatian: potajno — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Spanish: subrepticio — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Swedish: dold — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Ukrainian: таємний (tajemnyj) — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert
  • Ukrainian: потайний (potajnyj) — stealthy, furtive, well hidden, covert