Insinuant

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Something that gradually works its way into a position or favor through subtle, indirect, or cunning means
2. A characteristic of something that insinuates itself subtly into situations or minds, often through indirect or crafty methods
3. Pertaining to an entity that gradually introduces itself into a context or favor through sly, indirect tactics

Etymology: The adjective "insinuant" carries a physical picture in its Latin ancestor. Latin "insinuare" combined "in-" ("into") with "sinus," a word meaning a curve, fold or hollow, especially the fold of a garment held out to carry something. To insinuate was, literally, to work something into a fold or bosom, and the sense of slipping into a place by a winding route followed naturally from that. English took the adjective from the Latin present participle "insinuans," and it arrived through French, where the form "insinuant" was already in use. The French influence explains the spelling and the ending, which is why the English form looks more like a French adjective than a Latin one. The word describes someone or something that works its way into favour or a situation gradually and by indirect means, rather than openly.

Synonyms: subtle, insinuating, sly

Antonyms: blunt, direct, open