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Definition of surreptitious

surreptitious

/ˌsɜːrəpˈtɪʃəs/
sur · rep · ti · tious
Adverb:surreptitiously
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surreptitious Lexical Profile

surreptitious Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Kept secret or done by stealth, especially because the action would not be approved of or permitted.

Example

"She cast a surreptitious glance at her watch while the director continued speaking."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for surreptitious

• Nearby Words

surreally
surrealness
surrender
surreptitious
surreptitiously
surrey
surrogacy

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the mid-15th century from Latin surrepticius ('stolen, clandestine'), derived from the verb surripere ('to snatch away secretly'), a compound of sub- ('under, secretly') and rapere ('to seize').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Surreptitious. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/surreptitious
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