furtive

<font size="-1" face="arial, helvetica"> <p> <strong> <font color="#000066">Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 21, 2022 is:</font> </strong> </p> <p> <strong>furtive</strong> &#149; \FER-tiv\&nbsp; &#149; <em>adjective</em><br /> <p><em>Furtive</em> means "done in a quiet and secret way to avoid being noticed." It can also mean "<a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sly">sly</a>."</p> <p>// He cast a <em>furtive</em> glance in our direction.</p> <p><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/furtive">See the entry ></a></p> </p> <p> <strong>Examples:</strong><br /> <p>"This little fluffy-looking character [a <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tree%20creeper">tree creeper</a>] moves upwards on the tree in a jerky, <em>furtive</em> way in a similar way to that of a mouse on the ground. This style of movement gave rise to its common name of 'tree mouse' in parts of the UK." — <em>The Southern Star</em> (Ireland), 3 Mar. 2022</p> </p> <p> <strong>Did you know?</strong><br /> <p><em>Furtive</em> comes from either Latin <em>furtivus</em> or French <em>furtif</em>. The earliest known written uses of <em>furtive</em> are from the early 1600s. When first used in English, <em>furtive</em> meant "done by stealth," and later also came to mean, less commonly, "stolen." Whichever meaning you choose, the word has an elusive ancestry, which is particularly fitting, since a thief must be furtive to avoid getting caught in the act.</p> <br /><br /> </p> </font>