secret

secret · noun, verb¹

1. Latin · derived fromsēcrētum
2. Middle English · inherited fromsecret
3. English todaysecret

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.

secret · adjective²

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*krey-
2. Latin · derived fromsēcrētus“separated, hidden”
3. Old French · derived fromsecret
4. Middle English · inherited fromsecrette
5. English todaysecret

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”).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from late 14th c. A piece of knowledge that is hidden and intended to be kept hidden.
• from late 16th c. To make or keep secret.
• from late 14th c. Being or kept hidden.