Definition of the word furtive

The word "furtive" originates from the Latin word "furvus," which means "thiefly" or "stealthy." This Latin word evolved over time and was eventually adopted into Old French, where it was spelled "furtaif" and meant "stealing" or "deceptive." In Middle English, the word "furtaif" became "furtaef" and eventually "furtif," which was used to describe actions or behavior that was intended to be hidden or secretive. The prefix "fur-" in Middle English also meant "thief" or "steal," which reinforced the stealthy and clandestine meaning of the word. In the early 1600s, the spelling of the word shifted to "furtiue" in English, which meant "characteristic of a thief" or "deceptive." Over time, the word took on the more general meaning of "done or occurring secretly or stealthily," as seen in contemporary usage. In summary, the origin of the word "furtive" can be traced back to its Latin roots, where it represented actions that were associated with stealth and deception. Its path to English, however, was not without evolution in spelling and meaning.