- secret and concealed, often for illicit reasons; furtive
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
clan•des•tine /klænˈdɛstɪn/USA pronunciation
adj.
clan•des•tine•ness, clan•des•tin•i•ty /ˌklændɛsˈtɪnɪti/USA pronunciation n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- done in secrecy:a clandestine meeting of conspirators.
clan•des•tine•ness, clan•des•tin•i•ty /ˌklændɛsˈtɪnɪti/USA pronunciation n. [uncountable]
clan•des•tine
(klan des′tin),USA pronunciation adj.
clan•des′tine•ly, adv.
clan•des′tine•ness, clan′des•tin′i•ty, n.
- characterized by, done in, or executed with secrecy or concealment, esp. for purposes of subversion or deception;
private or surreptitious:Their clandestine meetings went undiscovered for two years.
- Latin clandestīnus, equivalent. to *clande, *clamde, variant of clam secretly (with -de adverb, adverbial particle) + -stīnus, probably after intestīnus internal; see intestine
- 1560–70
clan•des′tine•ness, clan′des•tin′i•ty, n.
- hidden, underhand, confidential, illicit.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
clandestine /klænˈdɛstɪn/ adj
'clandestine' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
counter
- dirty
- furtive
- intrigue
- invisible
- samizdat
- Special Air Service
- stitch up
- table
- underhand
- back-alley
- bootleg
- covert
- hole-and-corner
- hugger-mugger
- KGB
- undercover
- safe house
- secret
- sly
- stealth
- surreptitious