Make Your Point > Archived Issues > CLANDESTINE
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connect this word to others:
The Latin celare, "to hide," gave us the word conceal, which makes sense, and the word ceiling, which doesn't make sense until you think about how ceilings hide rooms.
And it gave us clandestine, the perfect adjective for something hidden, sneaky, and secret: a clandestine escape, a clandestine hit squad, a clandestine military operation, a clandestine tr__t (a meeting of lovers), a clandestine j__r__e (a trip in a stolen vehicle, or any thrilling, risky spree).
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
make your point with...
"CLANDESTINE"
This comes from a Latin word for "hide."
Something clandestine is sneaky, secret, or hidden, usually because it involves illegal or immoral activity.
Pronunciation:
clan DESS tin
Part of speech:
Adjective: "a clandestine maneuver," "their approach stayed clandestine."
Other forms:
The adverb is "clandestinely," pronounced "clan DESS tin lee."
For the noun, you can pick between "clandestineness" (clan DESS tin ness) and my preference, "clandestinity" (CLAN dess TIN ih tee).
How to use it:
Pick this common yet dramatic word when you need to emphasize how people are keeping their goals or activities secret--usually to protect themselves from criticism or consequences.
Talk about people's clandestine aims, intentions, methods, approaches, and manners. Or, about clandestine communication or correspondence, or clandestine relationships.
Or, about clandestine groups of people and their clandestine meetings, activities, missions, and operations.
Feelings, too, can be called clandestine: "his clandestine hostility," "her clandestine support for this campaign."
examples:
"The Boricua Popular/People's Army - or Ejército Popular Boricua in Spanish - is a clandestine organization based on the island of Puerto Rico, with cells in the United States. They campaign for, and support, the independence of Puerto Rico from the United States."
— "Los Macheteros," World Heritage Encyclopedia
"This second act is a wondrous musical scene. It is in the moonlit gardens of the Cornish castle where Tristan and Isolde meet clandestinely, while Bragaende, the faithful attendant, keeps watch in the tower above."
— Mabel Wagnalls, Stars of the Opera, 1909
has this page helped you understand "clandestine"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "clandestine" without saying "covert" or "very hush-hush."
try it out:
So far, we've seen that clandestine activities tend to stay clandestine for some good reason: they're illegal, they're immoral, or in the least, they'd be criticized or frowned upon if people found out about them.
But often, when you read the news, you think, "I can't believe that's not being done clandestinely. Why aren't they covering their tracks?" Like a network of European banks that stole billions from their governments in tax rebates--just out in the open, as a matter of policy.
Talk about a news story that shocked or fascinated you. What were people doing out in the open when they should have been doing it clandestinely--or really, not at all?
before you review, play:
Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first.
Our game this month: Anagrams!
Rearrange the letters in the given word to form a word we've studied before. Try to recall its meaning, too.
For example, if I give you DYED, you give me EDDY. If I give you THREAD, you give me DEARTH. And if I give you COTERIES, you give me ESOTERIC.
Try this one today: TRICHINOSIS.
Give yourself 5 points if you can figure out the word without clues. To reveal the clues, hover over the blue text below.
Give yourself 4 points if you figure it out after peeking at the part of speech: noun.
Give yourself 3 points if you figure it out after peeking at the definition: things people say or do that are overly emotional, dramatic, and attention-seeking.
Give yourself 2 points if you figure it out after peeking at the first letter: H.
Give yourself 1 point if you figure it out after peeking at the first two letters: HI.
And if you'd like to reveal or review the word, click here.
review this word:
1. The opposite of CLANDESTINITY is
A. HONESTY.
B. OPENNESS.
C. SINCERITY.
2. Because the people it serves _____, a food bank in Santa Cruz operates clandestinely.
A. fear deportation
B. might have food allergies
C. depend on public transportation
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
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Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
The Latin celare, "to hide," gave us the word conceal, which makes sense, and the word ceiling, which doesn't make sense until you think about how ceilings hide rooms.
"CLANDESTINE" This comes from a Latin word for "hide."
"The Boricua Popular/People's Army - or Ejército Popular Boricua in Spanish - is a clandestine organization based on the island of Puerto Rico, with cells in the United States. They campaign for, and support, the independence of Puerto Rico from the United States."
Explain the meaning of "clandestine" without saying "covert" or "very hush-hush."
So far, we've seen that clandestine activities tend to stay clandestine for some good reason: they're illegal, they're immoral, or in the least, they'd be criticized or frowned upon if people found out about them.
Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first.
1. The opposite of CLANDESTINITY is
|