niejawny

Niejawny is a Polish adjective meaning not openly visible or publicly accessible. In everyday language it describes things that are hidden, not explicitly stated, or not intended for public knowledge. The term is often used for information, documents, or meanings that are intentionally not disclosed or that require authorization to access.

Etymology and forms: nie- is a negating prefix attached to jawny, which means open, evident, or public. Thus niejawny literally means “not open/public.” The word participates in contrasts such as jawny vs. niejawny, or public vs. non-public, and can be inflected in standard Polish grammar (niejawny, niejawna, niejawne, etc.).

Usage and contexts: In everyday language niejawny can describe implicit or covert aspects, such as a przekaz niejawny (subtext or hidden message) or intencje niejawne (hidden intentions). In administrative and legal contexts, niejawny refers to information or documents that are not publicly accessible and are subject to restrictions; the corresponding public form is jawny. Within the broader framework of classified information, niejawny information is distinguished from higher secrecy levels (for example, tajne or poufne) in terms of access and protection.

Synonyms and related terms include ukryty (hidden), skryty (veiled), and tajny (secret), though each carries its own nuance. Antonyms include jawny or publiczny (public, evident).

See also: jawność, ujawniać, ujawniony, informacja niejawna, informacja jawna.