Sur`rep*ti"tious (?), a. [L. surreptitius, or subreptitius, fr. surripere, subripere, to snatch away, to withdraw privily; sub- under + rapere to snatch. See Sub-, and Ravish.]

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.

-- Sur`rep*ti"tious*ly, adv.

 

© Webster 1913.