secret
UK: ˈsiːkrət | US: ˈsiːkrət
n. 1. Information kept hidden or known only to a select few.
n. 2. A method, formula, or technique not generally known.
adj. 1. Kept from knowledge or view; concealed.
The word "secret" traces back to Latin secretus, meaning "set apart, hidden," derived from secernere ("to separate, distinguish"). The morpheme se- emphasizes isolation, while cret reflects the act of filtering or concealing. Over time, it evolved through Old French secret into Middle English, retaining its core idea of selective concealment.
She whispered the secret to her best friend.
The recipe is a family secret passed down for generations.
He kept his feelings a secret from everyone.
The documents were marked as top secret.
The treasure's location remains a well-guarded secret.