clandestine

Definition of clandestine

Etymology

From French clandestin, derived from Latin clandestīnus "secret, concealed"

Pronunciation

• IPA: /klænˈdɛstɪn/, SAMPA: /kl{n"dEstIn/
• Audio (US) ^[?]
• Rhymes: -ɛstɪn

Adjective

clandestine (comparative more clandestine, superlative most clandestine)

1. Done or kept in secret, sometimes to conceal an illicit or improper purpose.
2. (freemasonry) a person or lodge not recognized as a regular member.

Quotations

done in secret

• 1793 - Charlotte Smith, The Old Manor House v 3, ch I
  Monimia, who while she yielded to his earnest entreaties had always felt, from the natural rectitude of her understanding, the impropriety of their clandestine correspondence, would, he feared, be more than ever sensible of her indiscretion, when she found that a servant was entrusted with it...
• 1818 - Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey ch 31
  Whether the torments of absence were softened by a clandestine correspondence, let us not inquire. Mr. and Mrs. Morland never did.
• 1878 - Thomas Hardy, The Return of the Native ch 11
  Wildeve's clandestine plan with her was to take a little gravel in his hand and hold it to the crevice at the top of the window shutter, which was on the outside, so that it should fall with a gentle rustle, resembling that of a mouse, between shutter and glass.
• 1912 - G. K. Chesterton, Manalive ch IX
  Lady Bullingdon could not, of course, countenance such an arrangement for a moment, and the two unhappy persons escaped for a clandestine marriage.
• 1922 - H. P. Lovecraft, Herbert West: Reanimator
  Bodies were always a nuisance -- even the small guinea-pig bodies from the slight clandestine experiments in West's room at the boarding-house.
• 1924 - Herman Melville, Billy Budd ch 13
  Probably, the Master-at-arms' clandestine persecution of Billy was started to try the temper of the man...
• 2003 - Trivium, Ember To Inferno - Track 4: Fugue:
  As I stand at the edge of existence; nameless shores of infinity. Perpetual unbirth unraveling distance, clandestine truths unveiled.
• 2004 - Penny Arcade
  In my imagination, all work place encounters between men and women result in clandestine sex.
• 2005 - Stewart Lee, 90's Comedian DVD
  And I don't want anyone to think I dislike Catholicism because I don't. It's actually my favourite form of clandestine global evil.

Synonyms

• (done in secret): covert, furtive, hush-hush, secret, secretive, undercover

Related terms

• clandestinely

Further reading

Clandestinity (canon law)

Clandestinity is a diriment impediment in the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church. It requires the presence of witnesses to the marriage vows, one of which must be a priest, in order for the marriage to be valid.

It was promulgated in the 16th century by the Council of Trent in the decree called Tametsi. Prior that time, an unwitnessed exchange of marriage vows was deplored but valid, and the decree was enforced only in those regions where it could be proclaimed in the vernacular

The witnesses must be the parish priest, or another priest with permission either from the parish priest or the local ordinary, and the other two witnesses must be capable of giving witness to the marriage vows.

It was later modified, by the decree Ne Temere, to require specific priests, such as the local pastor of the couple's residence.

Further modifications provided that the priest was not necessary if one of the marrying parties was in danger of death, or the vows could not be exchanged before a priest in a reasonable amount of time.

Clandestine operation

A clandestine operation is an intelligence or military operation carried out in such a way that the operation goes unnoticed.

The Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms (Joint Publication JP1-02, dated 5 January 2007) defines "clandestine operation" as "An operation sponsored or conducted by governmental departments or agencies in such a way as to assure secrecy or concealment. A clandestine operation differs from a covert operation in that emphasis is placed on concealment of the operation rather than on concealment of the identity of the sponsor. In special operations, an activity may be both covert and clandestine and may focus equally on operational considerations and intelligence-related activities.