English Meaning & Definitions
Attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that discovery would lead to trouble; secretive.
- “The suspect cast a furtive glance toward the security camera.”
- “They exchanged furtive whispers across the library table.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “furtive”.
Derived from the Latin word 'furtivus', meaning 'stolen' or 'secret', which comes from 'furtum' ('theft') and 'fur' ('thief'). The term entered the English language in the late 15th century, initially retaining the primary sense of stolen or done by stealth.
Furtive sounds like 'turtle' hiding in its shell—moving slow and secret.
Frequently Asked Questions About “furtive”
1. What is the meaning of “furtive” in English?
In English, furtive (adjective) is defined as: “Attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that discovery would lead to trouble; secretive.”.
2. How do you use “furtive” in a sentence?
“The suspect cast a furtive glance toward the security camera.”
3. What are English synonyms of “furtive”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “furtive”?
Derived from the Latin word 'furtivus', meaning 'stolen' or 'secret', which comes from 'furtum' ('theft') and 'fur' ('thief'). The term entered the English language in the late 15th century, initially retaining the primary sense of stolen or done by stealth.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
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A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.