ulterior
adj. C1 Advanced US //əɫˈtɪɹiɝ// UK //ʌltˈiəɹɪɐ// ul·te·ri·or
adj. having a hidden reason or purpose that is not obvious at first. You use this when someone does something for a secret reason that they do not tell you about.
adj. having a hidden or secret motive or purpose. Often used to describe motives that are not immediately apparent to others.
He had an ulterior motive for helping me.
The manager's offer to work extra hours seemed generous, but she had an ulterior motive to finish the project before the holiday.
While the politician's public stance on environmental reform appeared altruistic, his advisors suggested he had an ulterior motive to secure more funding for his re-election campaign.
From Latin ulterior (“further, more distant”), from ulter (“that is beyond”) + -ior (“more”).