secrete

1 of 2

verb (1)

se·​crete si-ˈkrēt 

secreted; secreting

transitive verb

: to form and give off (a secretion)

secrete

2 of 2

verb (2)

se·​crete si-ˈkrēt  ˈsē-krət 

secreted; secreting

transitive verb

1

: to deposit or conceal in a hiding place

2

: to appropriate secretly : abstract

Did you know?

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.

Synonyms of secrete

Verb (2)

• conceal
• hide
• bury

Choose the Right Synonym for secrete

hide, conceal, screen, secrete, bury mean to withhold or withdraw from sight.

hide may or may not suggest intent.

hide in the closet

a house hidden in the woods

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Melatonin is the hormone secreted by the pineal gland that governs the internal biological clock and sleep-wake cycles. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026

Cortisol is a steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal glands and acts as a key regulator of metabolism. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026

Cortisol is a steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026

Natural sources include beeswax, carnauba wax derived from a Brazilian palm, candelilla wax sourced from desert shrubs, and a food-grade shellac secreted by the lac bug, a small insect native to Asia. — Natalia Vela, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

back-formation from secretion

Verb (2)

alteration of obsolete secret, from secret entry 1

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1728, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1741, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for secrete

• amit
• athlete
• backseat
• blackfeet
• broadsheet
• browbeat
• buckwheat
• compete
• compleat
• complete
• conceit
• concrete

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Kids Definition

secrete

1 of 2 verb

se·​crete si-ˈkrēt 

secreted; secreting

: to produce and give off a secretion

glands that secrete saliva

secrete

2 of 2 verb

se·​crete si-ˈkrēt 

ˈsē-krət

secreted; secreting

: to deposit or conceal in a hiding place

Medical Definition

secrete

transitive verb

se·​crete si-ˈkrēt 

secreted; secreting

: to form and give off (a secretion)

cells secreting mucus