clandestinely

/klænˈdɛs.tɪn.li/

//klænˈdɛs.tɪn.li// adv

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"clandestinely" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“clandestinely” is an uncommon English word, ranked #63,509 in English word frequency and used as an adverb.

#63,509
frequency rank, English
13
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - In a secret or covert manner.

Key facts for clandestinely
PropertyValue
Headwordclandestinely
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/klænˈdɛs.tɪn.li/
Letters13
Frequency rank#63,509
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “clandestinely” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). clandestinely lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for clandestinely is 13 letters long, classified as an adverb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /klænˈdɛs.tɪn.li/. Corpus data places it at rank #63,509 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for clandestinely, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From clandestine + -ly. The correct English form is clandestinely, spelled C-L-A-N-D-E-S-T-I-N-E-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    In a secret or covert manner.
  2. 2
    In an illicit way, i.e. not permitted by the law or regulations.

Etymology

From clandestine + -ly.

This word in other languages

furtivamente(Español)clandestinement(Français)heimlich(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "clandestinely"?
"clandestinely" is spelled C-L-A-N-D-E-S-T-I-N-E-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /klænˈdɛs.tɪn.li/.
What does "clandestinely" mean?
As an adverb, "clandestinely" means: In a secret or covert manner.
How do you pronounce "clandestinely"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "clandestinely" is /klænˈdɛs.tɪn.li/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "clandestinely"?
From clandestine + -ly. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “clandestinely”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-L-A-N-D-E-S-T-I-N-E-L-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /klænˈdɛs.tɪn.li/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list