covert (2009-07-05)

Part of Speech: adjective

Pronunciation: [ 'ko-vrt]

Definition: Concealed, hidden; clandestine or secretive.

Usage: Espionage, of course, is based on covert operations but some people prefer covert to overt gestures of charity, too. The word is also used to mean simply "secretive" or "clandestine," as in, "His brief covert glances her way intrigued her far more than any overt stare would have." Companies who want to acquire other companies usually begin with covert overtures while the overtures of orchestras are quite overt.

Suggested Usage: The adverb is "covertly" and the noun, "covertness," although the adjective itself may be used as a noun in referring to (1) a sheltered place for animals, (2) the feathers covering the base of quills on a bird, or (3) a multicolored twill cloth often waterproofed. The antonym is a rhyme partner, "overt." In law, it means "married," as in Anglo-Norman feme covert "married woman," under the assumption that a married woman is protected by her husband.

Etymology: Seldom do we meet antonyms that are spelled identically save for one letter as "covert" and "overt." "Covert" is the past participle of Old French covrir "to cover" from Latin cooperire "to cover completely," based on Latin co- (an intensive prefix) + operire "to cover." "Overt" is the past participle of French ovrir "to open," a descendant of Latin aperire "uncover." So these two stems go back to phonologically barely distinct but semantically opposite verbs as far as Latin.