Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Secrecy; privacy.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun rare Secrecy; privacy.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The characteristic of being covert.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the state of being covert and hidden

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From covert +‎ -ness

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Examples

  • In Mr. Ajami's view, Tim Russert (whose testimony contradicted Mr. Libby's) and the American system of justice are untrustworthy, and "the 'covertness' of Mrs. Wilson was never convincingly and fully established."

    Sunday Reading 2007

  • In Mr. Ajami's view, Tim Russert whose testimony contradicted Mr. Libby's and the American system of justice are untrustworthy, and "the 'covertness' of Mrs. Wilson was never convincingly and fully established."

    Sunday, June 17, 2007 As'ad 2007

  • What information would the CIA be in possesion of, as to the facts necessary for a determination of covertness as defined above?

    Matthew Yglesias » Plame Was Covert 2007

  • Because no one ended up tried for any IIPA or other secrecy laws violations, there was no court “determination” as to the element of her covertness.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » Is John Deutch the Right Person to Comment 2009

  • No, the CIA would not make a referral if covertness was debatable.

    Matthew Yglesias » Plame Was Covert 2007

  • No, the CIA would not make a referral if covertness was debatable.

    Matthew Yglesias » Plame Was Covert 2007

  • The covertness was not necessary from the Chinese point of view: Chou had offered to receive publicly a representative of Nixon, and the Chinese were, in Kissingers later words, extremely suspicious of our desire for secrecy.

    In the Shadow of the Oval Office Ivo H. Daalder 2009

  • Because no one ended up tried for any IIPA or other secrecy laws violations, there was no court “determination” as to the element of her covertness.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » Is John Deutch the Right Person to Comment 2009

  • What we should publicize is that Palin has "executive experience" all right, and she is terrible at it -- cronyism, covertness, unethical behavior, etc.

    NYT: Palin Personally Sought To Ban Book From Library 2009

  • The legal definition of “covertness” is not ambiguous and the facts relevant to an inquiry into covertness under that definition are fully within the possession of the CIA.

    Matthew Yglesias » Plame Was Covert 2007

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