Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense secretes, present participle secreting, past tense, past participle secreted
1. verb
If part of a plant, animal, or human secretes a liquid, it produces it.
The sweat glands secrete water. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: give off, emit, emanate, exude More Synonyms of secrete
2. verb
If you secrete something somewhere, you hide it there so that nobody will find it.
[literary]
She secreted the gun in the kitchen cabinet. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
Synonyms: hide, conceal, stash [informal], cover More Synonyms of secrete
secrete in British English1
(sɪˈkriːt)
verb
(of a cell, organ, etc) to synthesize and release (a secretion)
Derived forms
secretor (seˈcretor)
noun
Word origin
C18: back formation from secretion
secrete in British English2
(sɪˈkriːt)
verb
(transitive)
to put in a hiding place
Word origin
C18: variant of obsolete secret to hide away; see secret (n)
secrete in American English
(sɪˈkrit)
verb transitiveWord forms: seˈcreted or seˈcreting
1.
to put or keep in a secret place; hide; conceal
2.
to form and release (a specified secretion) as a gland, etc. does
SIMILAR WORDS: hide
Word origin
< earlier secret, to hide < L secretus, pp. of secernere: see secret; (sense 2) back-form. < secretion
Examples of 'secrete' in a sentence
secrete
Each blink brings liquid secreted by the tear glands into contact with the surface of the eyeball.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The problem is that the hormones secreted into the system in times of stress tend to get locked away.
Mansfield, Patricia Why Am I Afraid to be Assertive? (1994)
The chemical reacts to the amino acids and other components of oils and sweat secreted from the skin's pores.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
People who have been secreted away in offices now stand on corners or sit under umbrellas in plain view, and conduct business on mobile phones or laptops.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Then there is the newer breed of hotel: the freshly converted castles and monasteries, most of them secreted away in superb countryside.
Jepson, Tim Umbria - the green heart of Italy (1989)
In other languages
secrete
British English: secrete VERB
If part of a plant, animal, or human secretes a liquid, it produces it.
The sweat glands secrete water.
American English: secrete
Brazilian Portuguese: secretar
Chinese: 分泌
European Spanish: secretar
French: sécréter
German: absondern
Italian: secernere
Japanese: 分泌する
Korean: 분비하다
European Portuguese: segregar
Latin American Spanish: secretar
(verb)
Definition
(of a cell, organ, or gland) to produce and release (a substance)
The sweat glands secrete water.
Synonyms
give off
emit
The stove emitted a cloud of evil-smelling smoke.
emanate
He emanated sympathy.
exude
Nearby was a factory which exuded a pungent smell.
extrude
extravasate (medicine)
(verb)
Definition
to put in a hiding place
She secreted the gun in the kitchen cabinet.
Synonyms
hide
The compound was hidden by trees and shrubs.
conceal
The device, concealed in a dustbin, was defused by police.
stash (informal)
He had stashed money away in secret offshore bank accounts.
cover
the black patch which covered his left eye
screen
The road is screened by a block of flats.
secure
bury
She buried it under some leaves.
harbour
harbouring terrorist suspects
disguise
She made no attempt to disguise her contempt.
veil
Her hair swept across her face, as if to veil it.
shroud
Mist shrouded the outline of the palace.
stow
I helped her stow her bags in the boot of the car.
cache
stash away (informal)
Opposites
show
,
reveal
,
display
,
bare
,
exhibit
,
unveil
,
uncover
,
unmask
,
leave in the open
,
expose to view
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bury
Definition
to cover (something) from sight
She buried it under some leaves.
Synonyms
hide,
cover,
conceal,
stash (informal),
secrete,
cache,
stow away
in the sense of cache
Synonyms
store,
hide,
bury,
conceal,
stash (informal),
put away,
secrete
in the sense of conceal
Definition
to cover and hide
The device, concealed in a dustbin, was defused by police.
Synonyms
hide,
bury,
stash (informal),
secrete,
cover,
screen,
disguise,
obscure,
camouflage
Nearby words of
secrete
secrecy
secret
secret agent
secrete
secretion
secretive
secretly
Synonyms of 'secrete'
secrete
Explore 'secrete' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of cover
Definition
to screen or conceal
the black patch which covered his left eye
Synonyms
conceal,
cover up,
screen,
hide,
shade,
curtain,
mask,
disguise,
obscure,
hood,
veil,
cloak,
shroud,
camouflage,
enshroud
in the sense of disguise
Definition
to change the appearance or manner in order to conceal the identity of (someone or something)
She made no attempt to disguise her contempt.
Synonyms
hide,
cover,
conceal,
screen,
mask,
suppress,
withhold,
veil,
cloak,
shroud,
camouflage,
keep secret,
hush up,
draw a veil over,
keep dark,
keep under your hat
in the sense of emanate
He emanated sympathy.
Synonyms
give out,
send out,
emit,
radiate,
exude,
issue,
give off,
exhale,
send forth
in the sense of emit
Definition
to give or send forth (heat, light, a smell, etc.)
The stove emitted a cloud of evil-smelling smoke.
Synonyms
give off,
release,
shed,
leak,
transmit,
discharge,
send out,
throw out,
vent,
issue,
give out,
radiate,
eject,
pour out,
diffuse,
emanate,
exude,
exhale,
breathe out,
cast out,
give vent to,
send forth
in the sense of exude
Definition
(of a liquid or smell) to seep or flow out slowly and steadily
Nearby was a factory which exuded a pungent smell.
Synonyms
emit,
leak,
discharge,
ooze,
emanate,
issue,
secrete,
excrete
in the sense of harbour
Definition
to give shelter or protection to
harbouring terrorist suspects
Synonyms
shelter,
protect,
hide,
relieve,
lodge,
shield,
conceal,
secrete,
provide refuge,
give asylum to
in the sense of screen
Definition
to shelter, protect, or conceal with or as if with a screen
The road is screened by a block of flats.
Synonyms
cover,
hide,
conceal,
shade,
mask,
disguise,
veil,
cloak,
shroud,
camouflage,
shut out
in the sense of shroud
Definition
to hide or obscure (something)
Mist shrouded the outline of the palace.
Synonyms
conceal,
cover,
screen,
hide,
surround,
blanket,
veil,
cloak,
swathe,
envelop
in the sense of stash
Definition
a secret store, usually of illegal drugs, or the place where this is hidden
He had stashed money away in secret offshore bank accounts.
Synonyms
store,
stockpile,
save up,
hoard,
hide,
secrete,
stow,
cache,
lay up,
salt away,
put aside for a rainy day
in the sense of stow
Definition
to pack or store (something)
I helped her stow her bags in the boot of the car.