sub rosa

[ suhb roh-zuh ]

adverb

1. confidentially; secretly; privately.

sub rosa

/ ˈrəʊzə /

adverb

1. in secret

Word History and Origins

Origin of sub rosa¹

First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin sub rosā literally, “under the rose,” from the ancient use of the rose at meetings as a symbol of the sworn confidence of the participants, based on the Greek myth that Aphrodite gave a rose to her son Eros, who then gave the rose to Harpocrates, the god of silence and secrets, to ensure that Aphrodite’s dalliances remained hidden

Word History and Origins

Origin of sub rosa¹

Latin, literally: under the rose; from the rose that, in ancient times, was hung over the council table, as a token of secrecy