If you guessed that the secret to the origins of secrete is the word secret, you are correct. Secrete developed in the mid-18th century as an alteration of a now obsolete verb secret. That verb had the meaning now carried by secrete and derived from the familiar noun secret ("something kept hidden or unexplained"). The noun, in turn, traces back to the Latin secretus, the past participle of the verb secernere, meaning "to separate" or "to distinguish." Incidentally, there is an earlier and distinct verb secrete with the more scientific meaning "to form and give off (a secretion)." That secrete is a back-formation from secretion, another word that can be traced back to secernere.
conceal usually does imply intent and often specifically implies a refusal to divulge.
concealed the weapon
screen implies an interposing of something that prevents discovery.
a house screened by trees
secrete suggests a depositing in a place unknown to others.
secreted the amulet inside his shirt
bury implies covering up so as to hide completely.
buried the treasure
Examples of secrete in a Sentence
Verb (2)
the police found the weapon secreted under the driver's seat of the getaway car
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Verb
The Russian woman accused of sneaking onto a Delta Air Lines flight from New York to Paris has been charged with knowingly and intentionally secreting herself aboard an airplane.—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 5 Dec. 2024 Determining how often to wash your hair means finding a balance between preventing a buildup of sebum (an oily substance secreted by the scalp) and stripping away natural oils your hair needs.4
No hair-washing schedule works for everyone.—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 1 Dec. 2024 Today’s Connections groups are... Yellow group — telling of events
Green group — secreted by trees
Blue group — things on sticks
Purple group — black or red
What Are Today’s Connections Answers?
Spoiler alert!—Kris Holt, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024 The grand jury accused Michael Whiting of misuse of public monies, theft, conflict of interest, harassment, sending a threatening letter, and stealing, destroying, altering or secreting public records.—Robert Anglen, The Arizona Republic, 11 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for secrete
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