Covert
Etymology
From Old French “covert,” covered, the past participle of “covrir,” to cover, from Latin “cooperire,” to cover completely. So “covert” and “cover” are the same word: a covert act is one kept under cover.
adjective · /KOH-vert/
Kept secret or concealed, especially in how it is carried out.
What it names
Deliberate concealment of action — an operation, motive, or hostility hidden behind an innocent surface.
Example
The layoffs were carried out covertly, dressed up as a routine reorganization.
Related idea
What is covert is hidden; what is overt is done in the open. The pair is the working vocabulary for talking about hidden versus open power — covert operations, overt aggression.