covert

(kŭv'ərt, kō'vərt, kō-vûrt')
adj.

1. Not openly practiced, avowed, engaged in, accumulated, or shown: covert military operations; covert funding for the rebels. See synonyms at secret.
2. Covered or covered over; sheltered.
3. Law. Being married and therefore protected by one's husband.

n.

1. A covering or cover.
2. 1. A covered place or shelter; hiding place.
   2. Thick underbrush or woodland affording cover for game.
3. Zoology. One of the small feathers covering the bases of the longer feathers of a bird's wings or tail.
4. A flock of coots. See synonyms at flock¹.

[Middle English, from Old French, from past participle of covrir, to cover. See cover.]

covertly cov'ert·ly adv.
covertness cov'ert·ness n.

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meaning 'secret, disguised', is pronounced like cover, although the American English pronunciation like over is gaining ground in British English and elsewhere.

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adjective

1. Existing or operating in a way so as to ensure complete concealment and confidentiality: clandestine, cloak-and-dagger, huggermugger, secret, sub rosa, undercover. Informal hush-hush. Idioms: under wraps. See show/hide.
2. Lying beyond what is obvious or avowed: buried, concealed, hidden, obscured, ulterior. Idioms: undercoverwraps. See show/hide.

noun

1. Something that physically protects, especially from danger: asylum, cover, harbor, haven, protection, refuge, retreat, sanctuary, shelter. See attack/defend, safety/danger.
2. A hiding place: den, hideaway, hide-out, lair. See place, show/hide.

adj

Definition: clandestine, underhanded
Antonyms: aboveboard, candid, frank, honest, open, overt, public, unconcealed

IN BRIEF: n. - Something that serves to conceal or shelter; A flock of coots adj. - Secret or hidden adj. - (of a wife) being under the protection of her husband.

Tutor's tip: I "covet" (to enviously desire someone else's property) his "covert" (shelter or hiding place).

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For a list of words related to covert, see:

• Animal Types and Parts - covert: one of small feathers that cover bases of large feathers on wings and tail of bird
• Animal Groups - covert: group of coots
• Woods and Brush - covert: thicket giving cover to game
• Fabrics and Cloth - covert: durable cotton or woolen twill of mixed color yarns, sometimes waterproofed
• Espionage and Intelligence - covert: (adj) secret, hidden
• Hunting Practice and Techniques - covert: hiding place of fox or upland game, esp. shrubs or thicket
• Introverted, Reserved, Isolated, or Mysterious
• Secrecy and Concealment - covert: (adj) secret or veiled; undercover

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See words rhyming with "covert."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Covert.

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Dansk (Danish)
adj. - skjult, hemmelig
n. - skjul, tykning, dækfjer

Nederlands (Dutch)
heimelijk, verscholen, schuilplaats, dekveer, kreupelbos, vermomming

Français (French)
adj. - caché, voilé, clandestin
n. - fourré, couvert, gîte, terrier, (Orn) plume tectrice

Deutsch (German)
adj. - versteckt
n. - Versteck, Schutz, Verkleidung

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - συγκεκαλυμμένος, μυστικός

Italiano (Italian)
segreto, nascosto

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - coberto, dissimulado

Русский (Russian)
скрытый, находящаяся на иждивении у мужа

Español (Spanish)
adj. - en forma secreta o disimulada
n. - secreto, disimulado

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - förstulen, förtäckt, gift (jur. om kvinna)

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
隐蔽的, 隐密的, 偷偷摸摸的, 隐蔽处, 隐蔽, 丛林, 掩饰

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 隱蔽的, 隱密的, 偷偷摸摸的
n. - 隱蔽處, 隱蔽, 叢林, 掩飾

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 숨은
n. - 덮어 가리는 것, 은신처

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 内密の, ひそかな
n. - やぶ

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) سري, خفي‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮נסתר, כמוס, סודי‬
n. - ‮חורשת-שיחים‬

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