The attribute or characteristic of acting in secrecy, or in such a way that the actions are unnoticed or difficult to detect by others.
"The spy moved through the forest with great stealth, ensuring his presence remained completely unnoticed by the guards."
In plain English: Stealth is the ability to stay hidden so people cannot see you coming.
"The team relied on stealth to move through the enemy base without being detected."
Usage: Use "stealth" as an uncountable noun when referring generally to secret operations that avoid detection, rather than counting individual instances like "a stealth." Avoid using it for a transgender person hiding their status; instead, specify terms related to gender identity and disclosure practices.
To conceal or infiltrate through the use of stealth.
"The spy used a cloak and night vision goggles to move across the snow without being seen, relying on total stealth to infiltrate the compound."
In plain English: To stealth means to move quietly and secretly so that no one notices you are there.
"The spy stealthed through the dark hallway to avoid being seen by the guards."
Of a transgender person, hiding their transgender status from society after transition.
"After completing her transition, she decided to live stealth so that no one would know her past gender identity."
In plain English: Stealth means moving so quietly and secretly that no one notices you are there.
"The stealth approach allowed them to enter without being seen."
The word "stealth" comes from the Middle English stelthe, which traces back to an Old English root meaning "to steal" or "to sneak." It originally referred to the act of stealing itself, a meaning shared by related words in other Germanic languages like German.