From Middle English *furtyve (implied in furtyvely), from Middle French furtif, furtive (modern French furtif), from Latin fūrtīvus, from fūrtum (from fūr, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ) + -īvus.

• (RP) IPA: /ˈfɜːtɪv/
• (America) IPA: /ˈfɝtɪv/, [-ɾɪv]
• (Australia) IPA: [ˈfɜːɾɪv]

furtive

1. Of a thing: done with evasive or guilty secrecy.

   Synonyms: clandestine, surreptitious, Thesaurus:covert

   • 1787–1789, William Wordsworth, “An Evening Walk, Addressed to a Young Lady”, in Henry [Hope] Reed, editor, The Complete Poetical Works of William Wordsworth, Philadelphia, Pa.: Hayes & Zell, […], published 1860, →OCLC ↗, page 27 ↗, column 2:

     [T]ender cares and mild domestic Loves, / With furtive watch, pursue her [a swan] as she moves; […]

   • 1824, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “The Adventure of the Mysterious Stranger”, in Tales of a Traveller, part 1 (Strange Stories. […]), Philadelphia, Pa.: H[enry] C[harles] Carey & I[saac] Lea, […], →OCLC ↗, page 95 ↗:

     I noticed the same singular, and as it were, furtive glance over the shoulder that had attracted my attention in the Cassino.

   • 1855, Arthur Pendennis [pseudonym; William Makepeace Thackeray], “An Old Friend”, in The Newcomes: Memoirs of a Most Respectable Family, volume II, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], →OCLC ↗, page 128 ↗:

     The proprietor of the house cowered over a bed-candle and a furtive tea-pot in the back drawing-room.

   • 1859, Charles Dickens, “A Hand at Cards”, in A Tale of Two Cities, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC ↗, book III (The Track of a Storm), page 198 ↗:

     "Don't call me Solomon. Do you want to be the death of me?" asked the man, in a furtive, frightened way.

   • 1949 June 8, George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], chapter 3, in Nineteen Eighty-Four: A Novel, London: Secker & Warburg, →OCLC ↗; republished [Australia]: Project Gutenberg of Australia, August 2001, part 1, page 31 ↗:

     Actually, as Winston well knew, it was only four years since Oceania had been at war with Eastasia and in alliance with Eurasia. But that was merely a piece of furtive knowledge which he happened to possess because his memory was not satisfactorily under control.

2. Of a thing: that has been acquired by theft; stolen; also (generally) taken stealthily.
   • 1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Solomon on the Vanity of the World. A Poem in Three Books.”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], and John Barber […], →OCLC ↗, book I (Knowledge), page 415 ↗:

     Novv ſhine theſe Planets vvith ſubſtantial Rays? / Does innate Luſtre gild their meaſur'd Days? / Or do they (as your Schemes, I think, have ſhovvn) / Dart furtive Beams, and Glory not their ovvn, / All Servants to that Source of Light, the Sun?

3. Of a person or an animal: sly, stealthy.

   Synonyms: thieflike, thievish

   • 1857, Pisistratus Caxton [pseudonym; Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter V, in What will He Do with It? (Collection of British Authors; CCCCXL), Tauchnitz edition, volume III, Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, →OCLC ↗, book VI, page 159 ↗:

     All women have their foibles. Wise husbands must bear and forbear. Is that all? wherefore, then, is her aspect so furtive, wherefore on his a wild, vigilant sternness?

   • 1864 May – 1865 November, Charles Dickens, “Setting Traps”, in Our Mutual Friend. […], volume II, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1865, →OCLC ↗, book the fourth (A Turning), page 165 ↗:

     So, Riderhood looking after him as he went, and he with his furtive hand laid upon the dagger as he passed it, and his eyes upon the boat, were much upon a par.

4. Of a person, etc.: inclined to steal; pilfering, thieving.

   Synonyms: thievish

• ferret

• German: verstohlen
• Portuguese: furtivo

• French: furtif, subreptice
• German: geheim, heimlich, tarnen
• Italian: furtivo
• Portuguese: furtivo
• Russian: скры́тный
• Spanish: furtivo, sigiloso