exfiltration C2+ Topic:Technology & Computing US /ˌɛksfɪlˈtreɪʃən/ UK /ˌɛksfɪlˈtreɪʃn/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 noun the secret, covert removal of someone from a dangerous or hostile place The embassy organized the exfiltration of diplomats before the invasion. 2 noun the unauthorized transfer of data from a computer system The breach led to the exfiltration of millions of user records. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · the secret, covert removal... extractionevacuationwithdrawalremoval 2 noun · the unauthorized transfer... theftleakdrainextraction ↔ Opposites infiltrationinsertionintrusion Word family Derived forms exfiltrate Related forms infiltrationfilterfiltrate Etymology AI details From ex- (out of) + infiltration, formed by analogy with infiltration. First recorded in military jargon during the Cold War, later adopted in computing for data breaches. Topics Technology & Computing Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # exfiltration **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /ˌɛksfɪlˈtreɪʃən/ **IPA (UK):** /ˌɛksfɪlˈtreɪʃn/ ## Meanings 1. the secret, covert removal of someone from a dangerous or hostile place 2. the unauthorized transfer of data from a computer system ## Examples - The embassy organized the exfiltration of diplomats before the invasion. - The breach led to the exfiltration of millions of user records. ## Synonyms - extraction - evacuation - withdrawal - removal - theft - leak ## Antonyms - infiltration - insertion - intrusion ## Derived Forms - exfiltrate ## Related Forms - infiltration - filter - filtrate ## Etymology From ex- (out of) + infiltration, formed by analogy with infiltration. First recorded in military jargon during the Cold War, later adopted in computing for data breaches. ## AI Etymology Exfiltration comes from ex- (out of) + infiltration, formed by analogy with infiltration. First recorded in military jargon during the Cold War, later adopted in computing for data breaches. In current use it is a noun meaning "the secret, covert removal of someone from a dangerous or hostile place". That sense is explained by the older material without requiring a speculative semantic step: the inherited or borrowed base supplies the field of meaning, while the English formation fixes its modern role. The surface form is compositional: its joined elements remain visible in the modern word. Related English forms include infiltration, filter, and filtrate. A derived form is exfiltrate. The semantic development is therefore important as well as the form: the word moves from the older concrete, technical, or literal setting into the present figurative or specialized sense. ## Topics - Technology & Computing - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown