covert
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.secret or hidden, especially when done by a government or the military.
adj.concealed, secret, or surreptitious; frequently applied to intelligence or military operations conducted without public knowledge.
Simple“The agency carried out a covert operation to rescue the hostages.”
In context“The government faced intense scrutiny after journalists exposed a series of covert interventions in the internal affairs of neighbouring states.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.a place with thick bushes or trees where animals can hide.
n.a thicket, woodland, or area of undergrowth that provides shelter or concealment for wild animals or game.
Simple“The fox disappeared into the thick covert before the dogs could find it.”
In context“The estate manager maintained several areas of dense covert to ensure a healthy population of pheasants for the upcoming season.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
n.small feathers that cover the base of a bird's larger wing or tail feathers.
n.any of the feathers covering the bases of the primary wing or tail feathers in birds.
Simple“You can identify the species by looking at the colour of its wing coverts.”
In context“The ornithologist noted that the iridescent blue on the bird's greater coverts was only visible when the light hit at a specific angle.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
adj.an old legal word for a woman who was under the protection and control of her husband.
adj.pertaining to the historical legal status of a married woman under the protection and authority of her husband.
Simple“In the past, a woman covert could not own property in her own name.”
In context“The lecturer explained how the status of a feme covert effectively merged a woman's legal identity into that of her husband.”
UsageUsually appears in the phrase 'feme covert'.
From Middle English covert, from Old French covert, past participle of covrir (“to cover”) (corresponding to Latin coopertus); cognate to cover. Not closely related to overt, despite what the most common pronunciation would suggest.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.