First Known Use: circa 1528
Dictionary
clandestine
adjective clan·des·tine \klan-ˈdes-tən also -ˌtīn or -ˌtēn or ˈklan-dəs-\
: done in a private place or way : done secretly
Full Definition of CLANDESTINE
: marked by, held in, or conducted with secrecy : surreptitious <a clandestine love affair>
— clan·des·tine·ly adverb
— clan·des·tine·ness noun
— clan·des·tin·i·ty \ˌklan-də-ˈsti-nə-tē, -des-ˈti-\ noun
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Examples of CLANDESTINE
- The clandestine meetings, the passing back and forth of messages between Lodge and the plotters, the coaxing along of the generals, all had the emotional lift of a strong amphetamine. —Neil Sheehan, A Bright Shining Lie, 1988
- The CIA's great innovation has been to concentrate in peacetime on ‘covert action’—that is, the use of clandestine means to challenge policies and regimes in other countries. —Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., The Cycles of American History, 1986
- And Pym was in London for a conference—no, he wasn't, he was attending a three-day course on the latest methods of clandestine communication in a beastly little training house off Smith Square. —John le Carré, A Perfect Spy, 1986
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Origin of CLANDESTINE
Middle French or Latin; Middle French clandestin, from Latin clandestinus, from clam secretly; akin to Latin celare to hide — more at hell
Related to CLANDESTINE
- Synonyms
- backstairs, behind-the-scenes, secret, covert, furtive, hole-and-corner, hugger-mugger, hush-hush, private, privy, sneak, sneaking, sneaky, stealth, stealthy, surreptitious, undercover, underground, underhand, underhanded
Synonym Discussion of CLANDESTINE
secret, covert, stealthy, furtive, clandestine, surreptitious, underhanded mean done without attracting observation. secret implies concealment on any grounds for any motive <met at a secret location>. covert stresses the fact of not being open or declared <covert intelligence operations>. stealthy suggests taking pains to avoid being seen or heard especially in some misdoing <the stealthy step of a burglar>. furtive implies a sly or cautious stealthiness <lovers exchanging furtive glances>. clandestine implies secrecy usually for an evil, illicit, or unauthorized purpose and often emphasizes the fear of being discovered <a clandestine meeting of conspirators>. surreptitious applies to action or behavior done secretly often with skillful avoidance of detection and in violation of custom, law, or authority <the surreptitious stockpiling of weapons>. underhanded stresses fraud or deception <an underhanded trick>.
Rhymes with CLANDESTINE
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