clandestine
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Pronunciation
- IPA: /klænˈdɛstɪn/, /klænˈdɛstaɪn/, /ˈklændɪstaɪn/[1]
Etymology
It is borrowed from Latin clandestīnus (“secret, hidden”),[2][3][4] perhaps by way of Middle French clandestin,[5][3] from Latin clam (“secretly”),[2][4][5] related to Latin cēlō (“to hide”).[3][4][5] The ending was probably modelled on Latin intestīnus (“internal”).[2][3][4][6]
Earliest recorded meaning
Secret, private or concealed, usually implying craft or deception (1566).[7][3][4]
Semantic evolution
From its first use the word has suggested secrecy for an improper or illicit purpose rather than mere privacy.[7][2] Merriam-Webster dates it to about 1528.[5] A rare noun use, “an underhand proceeding”, and a verb phrase to clandestine it are recorded in 1656.[7]
Timeline
- about 1528 – first date given by Merriam-Webster.[5]
- 1566 – secret, concealed, underhand.[7][3]
- 1656 – noun, an underhand proceeding.[7]
Modern meaning
Adjective
- Done in secret, often to hide an illicit or improper purpose.
Word family
- clandestinely
- clandestineness
- clandestinity
Related words
- conceal
Usage notes
Random House lists hidden, underhand, confidential and illicit as synonyms.[6]
References
- ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c d The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
- ^ a b c d e f Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
- ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
- ^ a b c d e Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
- ^ a b Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
- ^ a b c d e Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press