Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Adj.

[L.

surreptitius

, or

subreptitius

, fr.

surripere

subripere

, to snatch away, to withdraw privily;

sub-

under +

rapere

to snatch. See

, and

Done or made by stealth, or without proper authority; made or introduced fraudulently; clandestine; stealthy;

as, a

surreptitious

passage in an old manuscript; a

surreptitious

removal of goods

–

Surˊrep-ti′tious-ly

adv.

Adj.

[L. surreptitius, supra.] Done by stealth or without proper authority; made or introduced fraudulently; as a surreptitious passage in a manuscript.

A correct copy of the Dunciad, the many surreptitious ones have rendered necessary.