noun
secret
SEE-kriht
noun
1
Something kept hidden or known only to a select few.
"She promised never to reveal his secret."
"The recipe has been a family secret for generations."
adjective
1
Kept hidden from most people; not publicly known.
"They held a secret meeting to discuss the merger."
How to Use Secret
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething private and hidden, or an adjective describing anything kept concealed.
Common pairings
keep a secret
a secret meeting
top secret
Word Forms
more secret comparative, secreted past tense, secretted past tense, secrets plural, secrets singular, most secret superlative
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She promised never to reveal his _____.
Etymology
From Latin "sēcrētum" ("something hidden"), the past participle of "secernere" ("to separate, set apart").