clandestinement

clandestinely

adverb klahn-des-teen-MAHN Rare

Usage Note

Clandestinement describes an action carried out in secret, often to avoid detection by authorities. It derives from the adjective clandestin, which can describe illegal immigrants (immigré clandestin) or underground activities. The word carries a strong connotation of illegality or deliberate concealment rather than mere privacy.

Examples

"Ils se réunissaient clandestinement."

Natural Translation

They were meeting clandestinely.

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