Where does “clandestine” come from?

clandestine (Italian) comes from Italian clandestino, from Latin clandestinus, from Latin clam-de, from Latin clam, from Proto-Indo-European ḱl-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.

clandestine (Italian): feminine plural of clandestino

Definitions

  1. feminine plural of clandestino

Ancestry of “clandestine”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Italianclandestinoillicit; clandestine, secret, surreptitious;...
2Latinclandestinusclandestine, secret, concealed
3Latinclam-desecretly
4Latinclamclandestinely, secretly, privately; stealthily;...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱl-
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱel-to cover; to incline
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱel-Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱl-Every word from Latin clam
clandestine — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer