|sər.ə̇p|tishəs, |sə.rə̇p- adjective
Etymology: Middle English surrepticious, from Latin surrepticius, surreptitius, from surreptus (past participle of surripere, subripere to snatch away, take away secretly, from sub- secretly, under + -ripere, from rapere to seize) + -icius, -itius -itious — more at sub- , rapid
1. : marked or accomplished by fraud or suppression of truth
a surreptitious ordinance
2.
a. : executed, obtained, used, done, or attended with often clever or deft circumvention of proper standards, sanction, or authority : enjoyed by stealth : clandestine
a surreptitious removal of goods
surreptitious pleasures
b. : of fraudulent, spurious, or unauthorized issue : made or introduced fraudulently
a surreptitious copy of a book
c. : acting in secret or by stealth : doing something clandestinely : sly , stealthy
glancing at the clock with a surreptitious eye — H.S.Scott
Synonyms: see secret