Definitions
01hidden information
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. something that is kept hidden from other people.
n. a piece of information or knowledge intended to be kept hidden or known only by a few.
日本語:秘密※
“I have a secret to tell you, but you must promise not to tell anyone else.”
“The government struggled to keep the details of the trade agreement a secret from the investigative journalists.”
Pitfall
Can you tell me a secret about her?
Can you tell me a secret of hers?
Use 'of' or a possessive to show who the secret belongs to; 'about' suggests the secret is merely regarding her.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02the key to success
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. the best or only way to achieve something.
n. the underlying principle, method, or 'knack' that explains how something is achieved or made clear.
日本語:秘訣※
“The secret to her delicious soup is adding a little bit of fresh ginger.”
“Many entrepreneurs believe that the secret to a successful startup lies in timing rather than just the original idea.”
03hidden or private
A2 · Elementary
adj. kept hidden from others or known by only a few people.
adj. kept from knowledge or view; concealed from general notice.
日本語:秘密※
“They held a secret meeting in the basement to plan the surprise party.”
“The intelligence agency operated from a secret location that did not appear on any official maps.”
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”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
Idioms
01. best-kept secret
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/secret
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0