clandestine Hear it!

clandestine Definition

clan·des·tine (klan destin)

adjective

kept secret or hidden, esp. for some illicit purpose; surreptitious; furtive

Etymology: Fr clandestin < L clandestinus, secret, hidden < clam, secret < base of celare, to hide: see conceal

clandestine Related Forms
clan·des·tinely adverb clan·des·tine·ness noun clan′·des·tin·ity noun
clandestine Synonyms

clandestine

modif.

furtive, secret, private, surreptitious; see hidden 2, secret 3. See syn. study at secret.

clandestine Usage Examples

Modifies a noun

  • entrant: The civil penalty will apply to all vehicles, ships, or aircraft bringing clandestine entrants to the United Kingdom.
  • marriage: Her clandestine marriage to Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford, in 1560 did not help.
  • immigrant: Among the 275 clandestine immigrants stopped by Italian police patrols Wednesday, at least 64 of them were from Kosovo, officials said.
  • operation: At the time he was in charge of all CIA clandestine operations.
  • affair: Then each, enchanted by Greta's beauty, embarks on a clandestine affair.
  • grave: Students then are trained in the practical aspects of identifying clandestine graves, and recovering human remains and evidence.

Modifying Another Word

  • largely: By necessity, any revolutionary organization had to restrict its membership, be largely clandestine, and composed mainly of ' professional revolutionaries ' .
  • so: So clandestine was the plan, Jack Straw said on Question Time last year that he had heard of it.
  • often: Our actions, although often clandestine, will have lasting effect on all countries.

Browse dictionary entries near clandestine

  1. clan
  2. clamshell
  3. clams casino
  4. clampdown
  5. clamp
  6. clamorous
  7. clamor
  8. clammy
  9. clamber
  10. clambake
  1. clang
  2. clanger
  3. clangor
  4. clank
  5. clannish
  6. clansman
  7. clanswoman
  8. clap
  9. clapboard
  10. clapped-out