ENGLISH
REFERENCE

stealth

n. C / U
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈstɛɫθ// UK //stˈɛlθ// stealth Archaic Slang

n. the quality of being quiet and hidden so that no one notices you. You use this word when someone moves or acts without being seen or heard.

n. the quality of being silent, hidden, or unnoticed; the state of operating without detection. Uncountable in its abstract sense; countable when referring to specific modes of operation or technology.


SIMPLE

The cat moved with stealth across the floor.

CONTEXTUAL

The soldiers used stealth to avoid detection by the enemy patrols.

COMPLEX

Modern military aircraft rely on stealth technology to remain invisible to radar systems, fundamentally changing the dynamics of aerial combat.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English stelthe, from Old English stǣlþ, from Proto-Germanic stēliþō, to Proto-Germanic stelaną (“to steal, to sneak”) + *-iþō, equivalent to steal + -th (abstract nominal suffix). Compare Old English stalu (“theft, stealth”), Old High German stāla (“theft”), German Diebstahl (“theft”).

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