# furtive

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈfɜːtɪv/ · frequency rank #53,563

## Definitions
1. Of a thing: done with evasive or guilty secrecy.
2. Of a thing: that has been acquired by theft; stolen; also (generally) taken stealthily.
3. Of a person or an animal: sly, stealthy.
4. Of a person, etc.: inclined to steal; pilfering, thieving.

## Etymology
From Middle English *furtyve (implied in furtyvely (adverb)), from Middle French furtif, furtive (“furtive, stealthy”) (modern French furtif), from Latin fūrtīvus (“clandestine, furtive, secret; concealed, hidden; stolen”), from fūrtum (“theft; robbery”) (from fūr (“thief”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to bear, carry”)) + -īvus (suffix forming adjectives).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/furtive