stealth

Meaning

Noun

1. (uncountable) The attribute or characteristic of acting in secrecy, or in such a way that the actions are unnoticed or difficult to detect by others.
2. (archaic, countable) An act of secrecy, especially one involving thievery.

Verb

1. (especially) To conceal or infiltrate through the use of stealth.
2. (slang, transitive) To subject (someone) to stealthing (sexual intercourse without a condom through deception, for example removing the condom mid-act).

Adj

1. (not-comparable) Surreptitious; secret; not openly acknowledged.
2. (not-comparable) Having properties that diminish radar signatures.
3. (not-comparable) Hiding one's transgender status (in general or in specific areas of one's life, e.g. at work) after transition.

Synonyms

stealing

stealthiness

larceny

theft

robbery

privacy

prowl

secrecy

secretiveness

sliding

sneakiness

steal

concealing

thievery

crib

hiding

occultation

piracy

Translations

furtivité

Heimlichkeit

sigilo

disimulo

discrétion

nehînî

razberî

sigil

en cachette

Schläue

astuce

glissement

furtività

dizîkî

cachette

Pronounced as (IPA)

/stɛlθ/

Etymology

Cognate with Old High German: stāla

Inherited from Middle English: stelthe

Inherited from Old English: stǣlþ

Cognate with Old English: stalu

Cognate with German: Diebstahl

In summary

From Middle English stelthe, from Old English stǣlþ, from Proto-Germanic *stēliþō, equivalent to steal + -th (abstract nominal suffix). Compare Old English stalu (“theft, stealth”), Old High German stāla (“theft”), German Diebstahl (“theft”).