Stealth Is the Noun Belonging to Steal
Stealth is moving without being noticed. The word is built from steal, and it names a whole class of military technology.
Stealth is secret, quiet movement or action. The word is simply the old noun form of *steal*, in its original sense of doing something furtively. Military stealth technology is the same idea applied to physics: shaping and coating an aircraft so that radar signals scatter away rather than returning to the receiver.
- Secret, quiet action. *He moved with great stealth.*
- Designed to avoid detection. *A stealth aircraft.*
- By stealth — secretly. *Introduced by stealth.*
- Stealth tax — a tax increase not presented as one. *Critics called it a stealth tax.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | stealth | Perfect stealth. |
| Adjective | stealthy | A stealthy approach. |
| Adverb | stealthily | Moving stealthily. |
| Verb | steal | Steal away. |
| Compound | stealth tax | A stealth tax. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The changes were made by stealth.Without announcement.
- Stealth aircraft are shaped to scatter radar.Not invisible, just harder to see.
- The cat moved stealthily along the wall.Adverb.
How stealth technology works
- Faceting — flat angled surfaces that deflect radar away
- Radar-absorbent material — coatings that convert energy to heat
- Heat suppression — reducing the infrared signature
- Emission control — limiting radio and radar transmissions
- Not invisible — stealth reduces detection range, it does not eliminate it
From Middle English *stelthe*, from *stelen*, to steal. The old sense of stealing included doing anything secretly, which is why *steal away* means to leave quietly.
Are stealth aircraft invisible to radar?
No. They return a much smaller signal, so they are detected later and at shorter range. Certain radars can still find them.
What is a stealth tax?
A measure that raises revenue without being announced as a tax rise, such as freezing thresholds while incomes grow.