The etymological origin of the word furtive that concerns us now is found in Latin. Specifically, it derives from "furtivus", which, in turn, emanates from the noun "fur, furtis", which can be translated as "thief".
It is an adjective that refers to what is done in secret or to someone who acts in a hidden way .
For example: "The government captured a poaching fishing boat that was preying on the resources of our seas" , "The deputy would have had a furtive meeting with the businessman before the bill was discussed" , "The actor and the model had a furtive relationship for several months .
Among the synonyms of furtive we can highlight some such as dissimulated, surreptitious, clandestine or hidden. On the contrary, among its antonyms we find terms such as discovered, uncovered, declared, manifest, public or even open.
The most frequent use of the term, however, is specifically associated with the hunter who kills his prey without authorization or in places where the activity is prohibited. Poaching, therefore, is illegal hunting .
A hunter can be considered a poacher when he lacks a license, uses unauthorized weapons, acts in restricted areas or attacks species that are protected by law . Poaching is a huge business that moves billions of dollars a year through the illegal trafficking of wild animals.
Poachers date back to the Middle Ages , when they hunted on land belonging to kings . At that time, it was common for only nobles and landowners to have hunting permits: however, to obtain food, the poorest were often forced to become poachers.
Over time , poaching became a criminal activity chosen by people who seek to get rich from the capture of certain high-value animals. Poachers often target elephants, for example, for ivory .
In addition to all of the above, we have to point out that the term in question has been used on numerous occasions to give titles to all types of cultural works. A good example of this is, for example, "Furtivos", a work written by Rafael Mir Jordano.
The novel "The Furtive Atlas" also serves as an example, which was published in 2007 by Alfred Bosch and is framed within the historical genre. And it tells how two cartographers from 14th century Mallorca receive a commission from the king: to create the most faithful, complete and beautiful world map on the entire planet.
They will take on the assignment, but they will decide to carry it twice. Thus, on the one hand, they will give shape to one that is exactly as the monarch requests and, on the other hand, to a furtive and more fantastic one that includes legends narrated by sailors, the most unique corners of the world... A document this The last one that will be stolen, bringing with it the start of different plots and intrigues at court.