Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “clandestine” come from?

Clandestine comes from French clandestin, from Latin clandestinus, derived from Latin clam-de meaning secretly or in hiding.

clandestine (English): Done or kept in secret, sometimes to conceal an...

Definitions

  1. Done or kept in secret, sometimes to conceal an...

Ancestry of “clandestine”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinclandestinusclandestine, secret, concealed
2Latinclam-desecretly
3Latinclamclandestinely, secretly, privately; stealthily;...
4Proto-Indo-Europeanḱl-—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱel-to cover; to incline

Words derived from “clandestine”

  • clandestinely
  • clandestinity
  • clandestineness
  • nonclandestine
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- →