sec

plural secs · alternative sec.

1. informalSecond, ¹⁄₆₀ of a minute.First known use 1881

   It is not permissible to use abbreviations for unit symbols or unit names, such as sec (for either s or second), sq. mm (for either mm² or square millimetre), cc (for either cm³ or cubic centimetre), or mps (for either m/s or metre per second).

   2025 August 28, “The International System of Units (SI)”, in Bureau International des Poids et Mesures, archived from the original on 17 Sep 2025, page 147

2. abbreviationclippingcolloquialClipping of second (“short indeterminate period of time”).

   Wait a sec!

   1 more example

   And the sloping of the shoulder / From the slender shapely neck / Makes you long to come behind her and to hold her / Just a sec.

   1881 August 27, “In Church”, in Supplement to the Manchester Weekly Times, Manchester, England, page 8

   Synonyms: jiffy, mo, tic, bat of an eye, bit, blink of an eye, crack, eyeblink

3. abbreviationclippingcolloquialespeciallygovernmentClipping of secretary.

   shadow sec

alternative S.E.C. · alternative S. E. C.

1. USabbreviationinitialismbusinessInitialism of Securities and Exchange Commission.

   Burr sold $1.65 million in stock on February 13, 2020, previous court filings by the SEC revealed.

   2023 January 6, Manu Raju and Devan Cole, “SEC closes insider trading probe into former Republican senator”, in CNN

   1 more example

   “Anyway, Kaspersky took her story to the SEC. I’m sorry, it’s rude to throw obscure acronyms around. I mean the Securities and Exchange Commission. They’re the people who look after my industry.” Vincent knew what the SEC was, because she made an effort to follow the financial news, but she only nodded.

   2020, Emily St. John Mandel, The Glass Hotel, Picador (2021), page 71

2. USabbreviationcollegehobbiesAbbreviation of Southeastern Conference, a college athletics conference
3. AustraliaabbreviationinitialismInitialism of State Electricity Commission.

plural SECs · alternative S.E.C. · alternative S. E. C.

1. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of size-exclusion chromatography.
2. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of scavenger endothelial cell.