adv · 2 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
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UK:/sʌɹəpˈtɪʃəsli/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:S ER2 AH0 P T IH1 SH AH0 S L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
In a surreptitious manner; stealthily, furtively, secretly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: furtively, secretly, stealthily
Antonyms: none provided
2
adverb
Meaning 2
in a surreptitious manner
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he was watching her surreptitiously as she waited in the hotel lobby
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: sneakily
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English surreptitious Middle English -ly English -ly English surreptitiously From surreptitious + -ly.
Across languages
Translations
49 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Azerbaijani:
gizli
— in a surreptitious manner
Bulgarian:
скришом
(skrišom)
— in a surreptitious manner
Bulgarian:
крадешком
(kradeškom)
— in a surreptitious manner
Catalan:
subreptíciament
— in a surreptitious manner
Catalan:
d'amagat
— in a surreptitious manner
Catalan:
d'amagatotis
— in a surreptitious manner
Catalan:
celadament
— in a surreptitious manner
Catalan:
furtivament
— in a surreptitious manner
Catalan:
amagadament
— in a surreptitious manner
Czech:
tajně
— in a surreptitious manner
Czech:
skrytě
— in a surreptitious manner
Czech:
potají
— in a surreptitious manner
Danish:
hemmeligt
— in a surreptitious manner
Dutch:
clandestien
— in a surreptitious manner
Dutch:
heimelijk
— in a surreptitious manner
Finnish:
vaivihkaa
— in a surreptitious manner
Finnish:
salaa
— in a surreptitious manner
French:
subrepticement
— in a surreptitious manner
French:
furtivement
— in a surreptitious manner
German:
heimlich
— in a surreptitious manner
Irish:
gan fhios
— in a surreptitious manner
Italian:
furtivamente
— in a surreptitious manner
Italian:
di nascosto
— in a surreptitious manner
Northern Kurdish:
bi dizîkî
— in a surreptitious manner
Northern Kurdish:
bi nehînî
— in a surreptitious manner
Northern Kurdish:
bi razberî
— in a surreptitious manner
Norwegian Bokmål:
i smug
— in a surreptitious manner
Norwegian Bokmål:
i skjul
— in a surreptitious manner
Norwegian Bokmål:
i løyndom
— in a surreptitious manner
Persian:
محرمانه
(mahramāne)
— in a surreptitious manner
Polish:
ukradkowo
— in a surreptitious manner
Polish:
ukradkiem
— in a surreptitious manner
Polish:
dyskretnie
— in a surreptitious manner
Portuguese:
sub-repticiamente
— in a surreptitious manner
Portuguese:
furtivamente
— in a surreptitious manner
Portuguese:
disfarçadamente
— in a surreptitious manner
Romanian:
pe ascuns
— in a surreptitious manner
Romanian:
pe furiș
— in a surreptitious manner
Russian:
тайко́м
(tajkóm)
— in a surreptitious manner
Serbo-Croatian:
potajice
— in a surreptitious manner
Somali:
sir
— in a surreptitious manner
Spanish:
subrepticiamente
— in a surreptitious manner
Spanish:
a hurtadillas
— in a surreptitious manner