Word of the Day : April 25, 2021

clandestine \klan-DESS-tun\ adjective

Definition

: marked by, held in, or conducted with secrecy : surreptitious

Did You Know?

In 1658, the English poet John Milton wrote of "clandestine Hostility cover'd over with the name of Peace." Today, clandestine is used in much the same way. The word often substitutes for secret and covert, and it is commonly applied to actions that involve secrecy maintained for an evil, illicit, or unauthorized purpose. It comes to English by way of Middle French, from Latin clandestinus, which is itself from Latin clam, meaning "secretly."

Aired April 25, 2021

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