backdoor

[bak-dawr, -dohr] /ˈbækˈdɔr, -ˈdoʊr/

adjective

secret; furtive; illicit; indirect.

Also, back-door.

Origin

1605-15; adj. use of back door

Examples from the web for backdoor

The first is an old-fashioned backdoor inquiry: ie, snooping.
It's there in the original post and it's there in the backdoor-trickle-down economics of the east-coast lawyer.
Had an awesome but kinda chilly clear night, a great view from right outside the backdoor.
One argument is that intervention may be a backdoor route to reflation.
Our tipping culture is a backdoor to actually paying service staff a decent wage.
But, they were happy to push for this deficit increasing, backdoor stimulus plan.
Weekly backdoor collection for the elderly and handicapped.
Adopted by county board, subject to backdoor referendum.
Cayce's family came home to find her missing and the backdoor open.
These backdoor appointments are the exact opposite of the transparency that this administration promised.

Word Origin and History for backdoor

adj.

also back-door, "devious, shady, illegal," 1640s. The notion is of business done out of public view. The noun back door in the literal sense is from 1520s, from back (adj.) + door. The association with sodomy is at least from 19c.; cf. also back-door man "a married woman's lover," black slang, early 20c.