1. A reference to that which needs to be concealed, usually because it is illegal or unauthorized: The spy carried clandestine messages in the rim of his hat and no one suspected what he was doing.
2. Conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods: Most nations have been conducting clandestine intelligence operations; however, the U.S. recently was caught in the act.
3. Characteristic of keeping or doing something in secret, often in order to conceal an illicit or improper purpose: Some of the movies of Peter Sellers are detective stories which, though he sneaks around in a clandestine manner, are very funny.
3. Etymology: from about 1566, from Latin clandestinus, "secret, hidden"; from clam, "secretly"; which came from the basic element of celare, "to hide, to conceal". © ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

Generally chemistry that is carried out in illegal drug laboratories, but it can also include any kind of laboratory operation carried on in secret.

A government, or military, intelligence operation so planned and executed so as to insure concealment.