furtive
pronunciation
How to pronounce furtive in British English:
UK [ˈfɜ:tɪv]
How to pronounce furtive in American English:
US [ˈfɜrtɪv]
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- Adjective:
- marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed
- secret and sly or sordid
Word Origin
- furtive
- furtive: [15] Etymologically, someone who is furtive ‘carries things away like a thief’. The word comes via Old French furtif from Latin furtīvus ‘stealthy, hidden’, a derivative of furtum ‘theft’, which in turn was based on fūr ‘thief’. This was either borrowed from or related to Greek phór ‘thief’, which came ultimately from Indo-European *bher- ‘carry’ (source of English bear) and thus meant literally ‘someone who carries things off’. A ferret is etymologically a ‘furtive’ animal.=> bear, ferret
- furtive (adj.)
- 16c., from Middle French furtif (16c.), from Latin furtivus "stolen," hence also "hidden, secret," from furtum "theft, robbery; a stolen thing," from fur (genitive furis) "a thief, extortioner," also a general term of abuse, "rascal, rogue," probably from PIE *bhor-, from root *bher- (1) "to carry" (see infer). Related: Furtiveness.
Synonym
Example
- 1. Slip across the grasslands of mongolia , ruins of the great wall the only witnesses to my furtive gait ?
- 2. Japanese love hotels , a refuge for space-constrained married couples and furtive philanderers , have long been a money-spinner .
- 3. He took a furtive glance at the clock .
- 4. He had a furtive look upon his face .
- 5. If the polls are right , then , next tuesday 's mid-term elections will seered facesin the red states for those furtive surfers who are caught in the act .