By Iswat Ishola, Francis Ikuerowo, Chiamaka Egwuchukwu, and Saminu Yusuf
Surreptitious (/suh-rep-TI-shuhs/) is an adjective used to describe something done quietly or in secret, usually to avoid being noticed or to escape disapproval. For example, a student might cast a surreptitious glance at their phone during class, or someone could make a surreptitious effort to leave a surprise gift without anyone seeing.
The word often carries the sense of careful, hidden action. Think of sneaking a snack when no one is looking or sending a hidden message.
Origin:
From the Latin word surreptīcius, meaning “stolen, seized secretly.”
Formed from:
- sub- = under, secretly
- rapere = to snatch or seize
So it originally meant “secretly taken or done by stealth.”
Example Sentences:
- She took a surreptitious look at the answers.
- The two friends had a surreptitious meeting behind the building.
Synonyms of surreptitious:
Secret, covert, stealthy, concealed
Antonyms of surreptitious:
Transparent, Open, obvious
In Yoruba, surreptitious is translated based on its meaning of “secret, sneaky, or done in a hidden way.” Some good Yoruba equivalents are: “ní àṣírí”, “ní ikọ̀kọ̀”
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Examples:
- Ó wo ìdáhùn náà ní ìkọ̀kọ̀. (She took a surreptitious look at the answers)
- Wọ́n ṣe ìpàdé kan ní àṣírí. (They held a surreptitious meeting)
In Igbo, Surreptitious is translated to “Ihenzuzo”
Examples:
- Ha si uzo nzuzo we bute ahia iwu. (They brought in the drugs using a surreptitious route)
- Ndi otu ojoor, na eme ihenzuzo. (Corrupt people commit surreptitious acts)
In Hausa, Surreptitious is translated to “yin abu cikin sirri”
Examples:
- Zan ga oga cikin sirri. (I want to have a surreptitious meeting with my boss)
- Zan yi tafiya aboye ko cikin sirri. (I will take a surreptitious trip tomorrow)
In French, surreptitious is translated to furtif or clandestin, or secret.
Examples:
1. Il a jeté un regard furtif vers la porte avant de sortir. (He cast a surreptitious glance at the door before leaving.)
2. Elle a pris des notes clandestines pendant la réunion. (She took surreptitious notes during the meeting.)
In Spanish, surreptitious is translated to subrepticio or secreto, or clandestino.
Examples:
1. Hizo una llamada subrepticia desde el baño. (He made a surreptitious call from the bathroom.)
2. Tomaron fotos clandestinas en el evento. (They took surreptitious photos at the event.)
In German, surreptitious is translated as heimlich or verstohlen or geheim.
Examples:
1. Er warf einen heimlichen Blick auf sein Handy. (He gave a surreptitious glance at his phone.)
2. Sie führte ein verstohlenes Gespräch hinter verschlossener Tür. (She had a surreptitious conversation behind closed doors.)
Iswat Ishola is the lead contributor to this column, with additional language contributions from Francis Ikuerowo (French, German, and Spanish), Chiamaka Egwuchukwu (Igbo), and Saminu Yusuf (Hausa).
