incognito
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian incognito, from Latin incognitus (“unknown”), from in- (“not”) + cognitus (“known”), perfect passive participle of cognoscere.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˌɪnkɒɡˈniːtoʊ/, IPA(key): /ˌɪnˈkɒɡnitoʊ/
Audio (UK) (file) - Rhymes: -iːtəʊ
Adjective
incognito (not comparable)
- Without being known; in an assumed character, or under an assumed title; in disguise.
- 1703, Mat[thew] Prior, “The Ladle”, in Poems on Several Occasions, 2nd edition, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], published 1709, OCLC 1103119849, stanza 1, page 125:
- The Scepticks think 'twas long ago, / Since Gods came down Incognito; / To ſee who were their Friends or Foes, / And how our Actions fell or roſe.
- 1891 June 25, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Adventure I.—A Scandal in Bohemia.”, in Geo[rge] Newnes, editor, The Strand Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly, volume II, London: George Newnes, Limited, […], published July 1891, OCLC 1006315258, page 65, column 2:
- "But you can understand," said our strange visitor, sitting down once more and passing his hand over his high white forehead, "you can understand that I am not accustomed to doing such business in my own person. Yet the matter was so delicate that I could not confide it to an agent without putting myself in his power. I have come incognito from Prague for the purpose of consulting you."
-
Usage notes
This term is said especially of great personages who sometimes adopt a disguise or an assumed character in order to avoid notice.
Translations
|
Adverb
incognito (not comparable)
- Without revealing one's identity.
- 1709 May 30 (Gregorian calendar), Isaac Bickerstaff [et al., pseudonyms; Richard Steele et al.], “Thursday, May 19, 1709”, in The Tatler, number 17; republished in [Richard Steele], editor, The Tatler, […], volume I, London stereotype edition, London: I. Walker and Co.; […], 1822, OCLC 69947324:
- The prince royal of Prussia came thither incognito.
-
Translations
|
Noun
incognito (countable and uncountable, plural incognitos)
- One unknown or in disguise, or under an assumed character or name.
- The assumption of disguise or of a feigned character; the state of being in disguise or not recognized.
- 1814 July 7, [Walter Scott], Waverley; […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, OCLC 270129598:
- His incognito was endangered.
- 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), OCLC 630079698, page 169:
- It contained a letter from the King himself, craving hospitality for a few days, as his mother was about to visit England, and to take up with Lord Avonleigh her residence at the Castle. A slight incognito would be preserved, and as little form and ceremony expected as was possible.
-
Anagrams
- cognition
French
Etymology
From Italian.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɛ̃.kɔ.ɲi.to/
Audio (file)
Adverb
incognito
- incognito
Adjective
incognito (plural incognitos)
- incognito
Noun
incognito m (plural incognitos)
- incognito
Further reading
- “incognito”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Italian
Etymology
From Latin incognitus.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /inˈkɔɲ.ɲi.to/[1]
- Rhymes: -ɔɲɲito
- Hyphenation: in‧cò‧gni‧to
Adjective
incognito (feminine incognita, masculine plural incogniti, feminine plural incognite)
- unknown
- (archaic) unaware; ignorant
Derived terms
- incognitamente
Noun
incognito m (plural incogniti)
- incognito
Related terms
- incognita
References
- incognito in Luciano Canepari, Dizionario di Pronuncia Italiana (DiPI)
Latin
Adjective
incognitō
- dative/ablative masculine/neuter singular of incognitus
Polish
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from Italian incognito, from Latin incognitus.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /inˈkɔɡ.ɲi.tɔ/
- Rhymes: -itɔ
- Syllabification: in‧cog‧ni‧to
Adverb
incognito (not comparable)
- (literary) incognito (without revealing one's identity)
- Synonym: anonimowo
Noun
incognito n (indeclinable)
- (literary) incognito (assumption of disguise or of a feigned character; the state of being in disguise or not recognized)
- Synonym: anonimowość
Further reading
- incognito in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
- incognito in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Romanian
Etymology
From French incognito or Italian incognito.
Adjective
incognito m or f or n (indeclinable)
- unknown
Declension
singular | plural | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | neuter | feminine | masculine | neuter | feminine | ||
nominative/ accusative | indefinite | incognito | incognito | incognito | incognito | ||
definite | — | — | — | — | |||
genitive/ dative | indefinite | incognito | incognito | incognito | incognito | ||
definite | — | — | — | — |
Adverb
incognito
- unknown