# thief in the night

> English word · Noun · IPA /θiːf ɪn ðə naɪt/

## Definitions
1. Something stealthy or that occurs without warning.

## Etymology
A calque from Ancient Greek κλέπτης ἐν νυκτί (kléptēs en nuktí).

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