“secrets” is a form of
secret
/ˈsiː.kɹɪt/ noun, verb, adjective
Forms secrets secreting secretting secreted secretted secrette secrete secreat
- noun (countable) A piece of knowledge that is hidden and intended to be kept hidden. “"Can you keep a secret?" "Yes." "So can I."”
- noun The key or principle by which something is made clear; the knack. “The secret to a long-lasting marriage is compromise.”
- noun Something not understood or known.
- noun (uncountable) Private seclusion. “The work was done in secret, so that nobody could object.”
- noun (archaic, in the plural) The genital organs.
- noun (historical) A form of steel skullcap.
- noun (Christianity, often in the plural) Any prayer spoken inaudibly and not aloud; especially, one of the prayers in the Tridentine Mass, immediately following the "orate, fratres", said inaudibly by the celebrant.
- verb (transitive, rare) To make or keep secret.
- verb (transitive, rare) To hide secretly.
- adjective Being or kept hidden. “We went down a secret passage.”
- adjective (obsolete) Withdrawn from general intercourse or notice; in retirement or secrecy; secluded.
- adjective (obsolete) Faithful to a secret; not inclined to divulge or betray confidence; secretive, separate, apart.
- adjective (obsolete) Separate; distinct.
Synonyms
dern hidden and Thesaurus:covert arcanum mystery enigma closed book clandestine cloak-and-dagger hole-and-corner hugger-mugger hush-hush surreptitious undercover underground unavowed private hidden privy secluded confidential mysterious mystic mystical occult orphic
Antonyms
Etymology
The noun is from Middle English secret, from Latin sēcrētum. Doublet of secretum. Displaced Old English dēagolnes (“a secret”).
The verb is from the noun.
From Middle English secrette, from Old French secret, from Latin sēcrētus (“separated, hidden”), from ptp of sēcernō (“separate, to set aside, sunder out”), from cernō, from Proto-Indo-European *krey-. Displaced Old English dēagol (“secret”).
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Hidden; concealed; as, secret treasure; secret plans; a secret vow. Shak.
- adjective Withdraw from general intercourse or notice; in retirement or secrecy; secluded.
- noun Something studiously concealed; a thing kept from general knowledge; what is not revealed, or not to be revealed.
- noun A thing not discovered; what is unknown or unexplained; a mystery.
Etymology [F. secret (cf. Sp.& Pg. secreto, It. secreto, segreto), fr. L. secretus, p.p. of secrernere to put apart, to separate. See Certain, and cf. Secrete, Secern.]
Etymology [F. secret (cf. Pr. secret, Sp. & Pg. secreto, It. secreto, segreto), from L. secretum. See Secret, a.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “secret”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details