menyelinap

Menyelinap is an Indonesian verb meaning to slip in quietly or sneak in, either physically (to slip through a crowd or into a room) or metaphorically (to infiltrate a system or policy) without attracting notice. It can describe a person, an object, or even ideas that move past defenses or barriers discreetly.

Etymology: The word is formed from the root selinap, combined with the prefix meN-. When the root begins with s, Indonesian phonology alters the prefix to meny- so menyelinap. The related noun selinapan or selinap is less common; the typical usage is the verb menyelinap.

Usage: Commonly used with phrases such as ke dalam, masuk, melewati, or merayap through, and it often conveys stealth or surreptitiousness. It appears in both literal contexts (a cat menyelinap melalui pintu belakang) and figurative contexts (ide-ide menyelinap ke kebijakan publik).

Examples: Ia menyelinap keluar dari ruangan tanpa terdengar. Keamanan jendela rapuh memungkinkan seseorang menyelinap masuk. Informasi itu menyelinap ke dalam laporan tanpa dia sadari.

Related terms: menyusup (to infiltrate or sneak in through gaps), menyelundup (to smuggle in), infiltrasi (infiltration). Notes: The term is neutral and widely used in both formal and informal Indonesian.