What does secret mean?
Definitions for secret
ˈsi krɪtse·cret
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word secret.
Princeton's WordNet
secretnoun
something that should remain hidden from others (especially information that is not to be passed on)
"the combination to the safe was a secret"; "he tried to keep his drinking a secret"
secret, arcanumnoun
information known only to a special group
"the secret of Cajun cooking"
mystery, enigma, secret, closed bookadjective
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
"how it got out is a mystery"; "it remains one of nature's secrets"
secretadjective
not open or public; kept private or not revealed
"a secret formula"; "secret ingredients"; "secret talks"
clandestine, cloak-and-dagger, hole-and-corner(a), hugger-mugger, hush-hush, secret, surreptitious, undercover, undergroundadjective
conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods
"clandestine intelligence operations"; "cloak-and-dagger activities behind enemy lines"; "hole-and-corner intrigue"; "secret missions"; "a secret agent"; "secret sales of arms"; "surreptitious mobilization of troops"; "an undercover investigation"; "underground resistance"
unavowed, secretadjective
not openly made known
"a secret marriage"; "a secret bride"
secretadjective
communicated covertly
"their secret signal was a wink"; "secret messages"
secret, privateadjective
not expressed
"secret (or private) thoughts"
hidden, secretadjective
designed to elude detection
"a hidden room or place of concealment such as a priest hole"; "a secret passage"; "the secret compartment in the desk"
privy, secluded, secretadjective
hidden from general view or use
"a privy place to rest and think"; "a secluded romantic spot"; "a secret garden"
confidential, secretadjective
(of information) given in confidence or in secret
"this arrangement must be kept confidential"; "their secret communications"
secretadjective
indulging only covertly
"a secret alcoholic"
mysterious, mystic, mystical, occult, secret, orphicadjective
having an import not apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence; beyond ordinary understanding
"mysterious symbols"; "the mystical style of Blake"; "occult lore"; "the secret learning of the ancients"
secretadjective
the next to highest level of official classification for documents
Wiktionary
secretnoun
Knowledge that is hidden and intended to be kept hidden.
Can you keep a secret? So can I.
secretverb
To make or keep secret.
secretadjective
Being or kept hidden.
We went down a secret passage.
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
SECRETadjective
Etymology: secret, French; secretus, Latin.
The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us. Deutr. xxix. 29.
Thou open’st wisdom’s way,
And giv’st access, though secret she retire:
And I perhaps am secret. John Milton.Secret Romans, that have spoke the word,
And will not palter? William Shakespeare, Julius Cæsar.Secretnoun
Etymology: secret, French; secretum, Latin.
Infected minds
To their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets. William Shakespeare.There is no secret that they can hide from thee. Ezek. xxviii.
We not to explore the secrets ask
Of his eternal empire. John Milton.All blest secrets,
All you unpublish’d virtues of the earth. William Shakespeare, King Lear.All secrets of the deep, all nature’s works. John Milton.
The Romans seem not to have known the secret of paper-credit. Arbuthnot.
Bread eaten in secret is pleasant. Prov. ix. 17.
In secret, riding through the air she comes. John Milton.
To Secretverb
To keep private.
Etymology: from the noun.
Great care is to be used of the clerks of the council, for the secreting of their consultations. Francis Bacon, Advice to Villiers.
Wikipedia
secret
Secrecy is the practice of hiding information from certain individuals or groups who do not have the "need to know", perhaps while sharing it with other individuals. That which is kept hidden is known as the secret. Secrecy is often controversial, depending on the content or nature of the secret, the group or people keeping the secret, and the motivation for secrecy. Secrecy by government entities is often decried as excessive or in promotion of poor operation; excessive revelation of information on individuals can conflict with virtues of privacy and confidentiality. It is often contrasted with social transparency. Secrecy can exist in a number of different ways: encoding or encryption (where mathematical and technical strategies are used to hide messages), true secrecy (where restrictions are put upon those who take part of the message, such as through government security classification) and obfuscation, where secrets are hidden in plain sight behind complex idiosyncratic language (jargon) or steganography. Another classification proposed by Claude Shannon in 1948 reads there are three systems of secrecy within communication: concealment systems, including such methods as invisible ink, concealing a message in an innocent text, or in a fake covering cryptogram, or other methods in which the existence of the message is concealed from the enemy privacy systems, for example, voice inversion, in which special equipment is required to recover the message "true" secrecy systems where the meaning of the message is concealed by the cypher, code, etc., although its existence is not hidden, and the enemy is assumed to have any special equipment necessary to intercept and record the transmitted signal
ChatGPT
secret
A secret refers to information, knowledge, or an aspect of someone's personal or professional life that is intentionally kept hidden or unknown to others. Secrets are typically kept confidential and not shared with anyone else. They may involve sensitive or private matters and are often protected to maintain trust, security, or maintain an advantage.
Webster Dictionary
Secretadjective
hidden; concealed; as, secret treasure; secret plans; a secret vow
Secretadjective
withdraw from general intercourse or notice; in retirement or secrecy; secluded
Secretadjective
faithful to a secret; not inclined to divulge or betray confidence; secretive
Secretadjective
separate; distinct
Secretadjective
something studiously concealed; a thing kept from general knowledge; what is not revealed, or not to be revealed
Secretadjective
a thing not discovered; what is unknown or unexplained; a mystery
Secretadjective
the parts which modesty and propriety require to be concealed; the genital organs
Secretverb
to keep secret
Etymology: [F. secret (cf. Pr. secret, Sp. & Pg. secreto, It. secreto, segreto), from L. secretum. See Secret, a.]
Wikidata
Secret
Secret is the eighth studio album by Japanese pop singer-songwriter Ayumi Hamasaki, released by Avex Trax on November 29, 2006 in Japan. The album was successful on many charts across Asia and has gone triple platinum in Japan. Secret received an "Album of the Year" award at the Japan Gold Disc Awards and its title track received the award for "Japanese Song of the Year" at the RTHK International awards at Hong Kong. It became the 22nd best selling album of 2006 according to the Oricon.
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Secret
sē′kret, adj. concealed from notice: removed from sight: unrevealed: hidden: secluded: retired: private: keeping secrets: reserved.—n. that which is concealed: anything unrevealed or unknown: privacy: the key or principle by which something is made clear: a form of steel skull-cap: one of the prayers in the Mass, immediately following the 'Orate, fratres,' said inaudibly by the celebrant: (pl.) any prayers said secretly and not aloud: the parts of the body which are concealed.—ns. Sē′crecy, the state of being secret: separation: concealment: retirement: privacy: fidelity to a secret: the keeping of secrets; Sē′cretage, a process in dressing furs.—adj. Sē′cret-false (Shak.), secretly false, while apparently sincere.—adv. Sē′cretly, in a secret manner: privately: unknown to others: inwardly.—n. Sē′cretness, the state of being secret.—Secret service, a department of government service.—Open secret, a secret which all may inquire into. [Fr.,—L. secretus—secernĕre, secretum—se-, apart, cernĕre, to separate.]
The Roycroft Dictionary
secret
1. A thing we give to others to keep for us. 2. Something known only to a few.
Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms
secret
See security classification.
Editors Contribution
secretverb
Translation of the Greek word "musterion" it is a secret hidden in the past but now revealed.
The secret war in revelation is at the hand of the Most High.
Etymology: Code
Submitted by Tehorah_Elyon on September 4, 2023
Surnames Frequency by Census Records
SECRET
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Secret is ranked #147253 in terms of the most common surnames in America.
The Secret surname appeared 112 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 would have the surname Secret.
63.3% or 71 total occurrences were White.
21.4% or 24 total occurrences were Black.
7.1% or 8 total occurrences were of Hispanic origin.
5.3% or 6 total occurrences were American Indian or Alaskan Native.
Matched Categories
British National Corpus
Spoken Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'secret' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2802
Written Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'secret' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4670
Nouns Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'secret' in Nouns Frequency: #1226
Adjectives Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'secret' in Adjectives Frequency: #379
Usage in printed sourcesFrom:
- [["1507","1"],["1515","2"],["1520","9"],["1524","31"],["1563","20"],["1564","4"],["1568","1"],["1572","3"],["1575","6"],["1579","24"],["1581","110"],["1582","13"],["1584","1"],["1587","29"],["1588","15"],["1589","2"],["1590","38"],["1592","8"],["1597","2"],["1598","14"],["1600","30"],["1603","1"],["1606","3"],["1607","13"],["1611","2"],["1612","1"],["1619","11"],["1620","16"],["1621","8"],["1623","6"],["1624","4"],["1625","7"],["1626","2"],["1629","8"],["1630","6"],["1631","1"],["1635","12"],["1637","23"],["1638","7"],["1640","1"],["1642","8"],["1643","8"],["1644","70"],["1645","5"],["1646","1"],["1647","14"],["1648","38"],["1649","19"],["1650","8"],["1651","30"],["1652","17"],["1653","38"],["1654","1"],["1655","34"],["1656","29"],["1657","28"],["1658","54"],["1659","40"],["1660","1"],["1661","15"],["1662","13"],["1663","2"],["1664","8"],["1665","19"],["1666","3"],["1667","91"],["1668","93"],["1669","19"],["1670","80"],["1671","16"],["1672","11"],["1673","113"],["1674","2"],["1675","146"],["1676","197"],["1677","45"],["1678","228"],["1679","126"],["1680","70"],["1681","219"],["1682","168"],["1683","265"],["1684","92"],["1685","147"],["1686","91"],["1687","30"],["1688","141"],["1689","39"],["1690","60"],["1691","22"],["1692","88"],["1693","100"],["1694","59"],["1695","55"],["1696","30"],["1697","49"],["1698","121"],["1699","210"],["1700","299"],["1701","230"],["1702","309"],["1703","231"],["1704","301"],["1705","260"],["1706","429"],["1707","432"],["1708","465"],["1709","231"],["1710","361"],["1711","440"],["1712","191"],["1713","280"],["1714","496"],["1715","330"],["1716","329"],["1717","619"],["1718","220"],["1719","319"],["1720","801"],["1721","469"],["1722","620"],["1723","553"],["1724","860"],["1725","540"],["1726","437"],["1727","544"],["1728","1055"],["1729","772"],["1730","971"],["1731","796"],["1732","456"],["1733","387"],["1734","717"],["1735","469"],["1736","596"],["1737","652"],["1738","660"],["1739","518"],["1740","646"],["1741","435"],["1742","491"],["1743","479"],["1744","804"],["1745","477"],["1746","342"],["1747","980"],["1748","939"],["1749","850"],["1750","848"],["1751","1078"],["1752","994"],["1753","1602"],["1754","1646"],["1755","1200"],["1756","683"],["1757","1035"],["1758","1214"],["1759","1621"],["1760","1069"],["1761","1774"],["1762","858"],["1763","1849"],["1764","1267"],["1765","1246"],["1766","1615"],["1767","1521"],["1768","2180"],["1769","1262"],["1770","1441"],["1771","1214"],["1772","1320"],["1773","1990"],["1774","1512"],["1775","1818"],["1776","1537"],["1777","1550"],["1778","1550"],["1779","1263"],["1780","1304"],["1781","2038"],["1782","1565"],["1783","1390"],["1784","1858"],["1785","1513"],["1786","1884"],["1787","3492"],["1788","3528"],["1789","3655"],["1790","2819"],["1791","2846"],["1792","3779"],["1793","3152"],["1794","3363"],["1795","3187"],["1796","4135"],["1797","3838"],["1798","5038"],["1799","4139"],["1800","5418"],["1801","7093"],["1802","7836"],["1803","7542"],["1804","8816"],["1805","9272"],["1806","9231"],["1807","9222"],["1808","10433"],["1809","10099"],["1810","12228"],["1811","14448"],["1812","12559"],["1813","9933"],["1814","11672"],["1815","11416"],["1816","12373"],["1817","13210"],["1818","14129"],["1819","11848"],["1820","19235"],["1821","15021"],["1822","22134"],["1823","20165"],["1824","23231"],["1825","28183"],["1826","21265"],["1827","21927"],["1828","20833"],["1829","20843"],["1830","26182"],["1831","21415"],["1832","23399"],["1833","22648"],["1834","21760"],["1835","26612"],["1836","26869"],["1837","22796"],["1838","24736"],["1839","28652"],["1840","31032"],["1841","29162"],["1842","23532"],["1843","27359"],["1844","29923"],["1845","33072"],["1846","33900"],["1847","34299"],["1848","32869"],["1849","33138"],["1850","36215"],["1851","37600"],["1852","38440"],["1853","42457"],["1854","51659"],["1855","41002"],["1856","50646"],["1857","37275"],["1858","38351"],["1859","39019"],["1860","42924"],["1861","35622"],["1862","26217"],["1863","28546"],["1864","33932"],["1865","32267"],["1866","34045"],["1867","35498"],["1868","35731"],["1869","35102"],["1870","35235"],["1871","35560"],["1872","34757"],["1873","35254"],["1874","39196"],["1875","40027"],["1876","38876"],["1877","41949"],["1878","35838"],["1879","38100"],["1880","50249"],["1881","47114"],["1882","49898"],["1883","63764"],["1884","49219"],["1885","49363"],["1886","41006"],["1887","49482"],["1888","48315"],["1889","42380"],["1890","49300"],["1891","52450"],["1892","57437"],["1893","56786"],["1894","54536"],["1895","58024"],["1896","65388"],["1897","63685"],["1898","70748"],["1899","82015"],["1900","103431"],["1901","90145"],["1902","78873"],["1903","73882"],["1904","82576"],["1905","75009"],["1906","81337"],["1907","79372"],["1908","76356"],["1909","70534"],["1910","74650"],["1911","70977"],["1912","74585"],["1913","70281"],["1914","65609"],["1915","59976"],["1916","56289"],["1917","59088"],["1918","55150"],["1919","63583"],["1920","73388"],["1921","63132"],["1922","74018"],["1923","66357"],["1924","60633"],["1925","61197"],["1926","55556"],["1927","66887"],["1928","65667"],["1929","65745"],["1930","70665"],["1931","63921"],["1932","56248"],["1933","45355"],["1934","60631"],["1935","60818"],["1936","60888"],["1937","60583"],["1938","59057"],["1939","59817"],["1940","53095"],["1941","52686"],["1942","45556"],["1943","44161"],["1944","40277"],["1945","44502"],["1946","65323"],["1947","71383"],["1948","70797"],["1949","76694"],["1950","79117"],["1951","71594"],["1952","71151"],["1953","76103"],["1954","75435"],["1955","79695"],["1956","84322"],["1957","88140"],["1958","89658"],["1959","89399"],["1960","103447"],["1961","112562"],["1962","123556"],["1963","126419"],["1964","126825"],["1965","140702"],["1966","148703"],["1967","164440"],["1968","172975"],["1969","170521"],["1970","182356"],["1971","163601"],["1972","175516"],["1973","161115"],["1974","158127"],["1975","150392"],["1976","162642"],["1977","164359"],["1978","164470"],["1979","165952"],["1980","165640"],["1981","167147"],["1982","175259"],["1983","180684"],["1984","195374"],["1985","195942"],["1986","210407"],["1987","222910"],["1988","239478"],["1989","253096"],["1990","260878"],["1991","262778"],["1992","285793"],["1993","278633"],["1994","308036"],["1995","316418"],["1996","330403"],["1997","339444"],["1998","354297"],["1999","387842"],["2000","440491"],["2001","449079"],["2002","503765"],["2003","589500"],["2004","659864"],["2005","631428"],["2006","676376"],["2007","770276"],["2008","1088031"]]
Anagrams for secret »
certes
erects
resect
terces
screet
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of secret in Chaldean Numerology is: 4
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of secret in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7
Examples of secret in a Sentence
The security is so good in Cleveland that there’s not going to be a notion of threatening appearances at hotel rooms, as Secret Service and convention staff are going to be so well organized.
The community that by concert, open or secret, among its citizens denies to a portion of its members their plain rights under the law has severed the only safe bond of social order and prosperity.
The secret of charm is bullshit.
Both secret and That Yongbyon facilities can continue operating and expand the fissile material stockpile, we have no way to stop this or verify any pledges to freeze.
If somebody removed the top secret terminology on it, that person committed a felony, but she is presumed to know what is top secret, whether it is stamped top secret or not.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
References
Translations for secret
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- سري, سرArabic
- sırAzerbaijani
- таямні́ца, та́йнаBelarusian
- тайна, таен, та́айна, тайноBulgarian
- গোপনBengali
- secretCatalan, Valencian
- tajný, tajemstvíCzech
- cyfrin, dirgel, cyfrinachWelsh
- hemmeligDanish
- geheim, GeheimnisGerman
- μυστικό, μυστικόςGreek
- sekreto, kriptaEsperanto
- secretoSpanish
- saladusEstonian
- sekretuBasque
- نهانی, راز, سر, سکرت, پنهانی, مخفیPersian
- salaisuus, salainenFinnish
- secretFrench
- geheimWestern Frisian
- rúnda, rún, scéal rúinIrish
- rùn, dìomhair, cagar, prìobhaideach, uaigneachScottish Gaelic
- segredo, secretoGalician
- folliaghtManx
- סודי, סודHebrew
- रहस्यHindi
- titkos, titokHungarian
- գաղտնիք, գաղտնիArmenian
- secreto, secreteInterlingua
- rahasiaIndonesian
- sekreta, sekretoIdo
- leyndarmál, leynilegurIcelandic
- segretoItalian
- סוֹדHebrew
- 秘密Japanese
- საიდუმლოGeorgian
- құпияKazakh
- ការសម្ងាត់Khmer
- 비밀, 祕密Korean
- raz, nehînî, surrKurdish
- opertum, secretumLatin
- geheim, heemlechLuxembourgish, Letzeburgesch
- slapta, slaptas, paslaptisLithuanian
- noslēpumsLatvian
- та́јна, таенMacedonian
- нууцMongolian
- गुप्त, गुपितMarathi
- rahsia, rahasiaMalay
- sigrietMaltese
- hemmelighet, løyndomNorwegian
- geheimDutch
- løyndom, hemmelegheitNorwegian Nynorsk
- skjult, hemmeligNorwegian
- tajemnica, tajny, sekret, sekretnyPolish
- secreto, segredoPortuguese
- sacret, secretRomansh
- secret, secretă, tainică, taină, tainicRomanian
- тайный, секретный, та́йна, секре́т, секретRussian
- tȃjna, tȃjnī, тајна, skròvitSerbo-Croatian
- tajomstvoSlovak
- skriven, skrivnostSlovene
- sekretAlbanian
- hemlig, hemlighetSwedish
- siriSwahili
- இரகசியTamil
- రహస్యం, రహస్యTelugu
- розTajik
- ลับ, ความลับThai
- lingid, sikreto, lihim, tagoTagalog
- sırTurkish
- секре́т, тає́мницяUkrainian
- سرUrdu
- 祕密, bí mậtVietnamese
- klän, klänikVolapük
- sicret, sicreteWalloon
- 秘密Chinese
Get even more translations for secret »
Translation
Find a translation for the secret definition in other languages:
Select another language:
- - Select -
- 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
- 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
- Español (Spanish)
- Esperanto (Esperanto)
- 日本語 (Japanese)
- Português (Portuguese)
- Deutsch (German)
- العربية (Arabic)
- Français (French)
- Русский (Russian)
- ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
- 한국어 (Korean)
- עברית (Hebrew)
- Gaeilge (Irish)
- Українська (Ukrainian)
- اردو (Urdu)
- Magyar (Hungarian)
- मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
- Indonesia (Indonesian)
- Italiano (Italian)
- தமிழ் (Tamil)
- Türkçe (Turkish)
- తెలుగు (Telugu)
- ภาษาไทย (Thai)
- Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
- Čeština (Czech)
- Polski (Polish)
- Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
- Românește (Romanian)
- Nederlands (Dutch)
- Ελληνικά (Greek)
- Latinum (Latin)
- Svenska (Swedish)
- Dansk (Danish)
- Suomi (Finnish)
- فارسی (Persian)
- ייִדיש (Yiddish)
- հայերեն (Armenian)
- Norsk (Norwegian)
- English (English)
Word of the Day
Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?
Citation
Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"secret." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 20 Mar. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/secret>.
Discuss these secret definitions with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In