undercover English · revision 39791

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=1854}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˌʌndə(ɹ)ˈkʌvə(ɹ)/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It was formed in English from [[under-]] and the noun [[cover]],^(SOED 2002)^(Dictionary.com 2016)^(MWU 2024) from the phrase [[m|en|under cover]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Sheltered, especially protected from enemy fire: 1854 in Etymonline;^(Etymonline) the Shorter Oxford dates the sense "situated or occurring under cover" to the mid 19th century,^(SOED 2002) and Dictionary.com dates the word to 1850–55.^(Dictionary.com 2016)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The figurative sense, operating in secret within a community or organization, especially to investigate or spy, is recorded from 1920,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) the early 20th century in the Shorter Oxford.^(SOED 2002) American criminal slang had ''undercover man'' by 1931 for an employer's detective who watched workers without their knowledge,^(GDoS) and ''undercover'' as a noun for a plain-clothes detective.^(GDoS)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1854 – sheltered, protected from fire.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1920 – operating in secret.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1931 – ''undercover man'', a secret detective.^(GDoS)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Done or acting in [[secret]], especially as a [[spy]] or a police officer posing as someone else: ''an undercover agent'' or ''She spent two years working undercover in a smuggling ring.''^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # Situated under a roof or [[shelter]]; sheltered.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cloak-and-dagger]]

+ * [[under]]

+ * [[cover]]

+ * [[covert]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}