secret
- 01 A2 Elementary
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.
Simple“I have a secret to tell you, but you must promise not to tell anyone else.”
In context“The government struggled to keep the details of the trade agreement a secret from the investigative journalists.”
PitfallCan 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.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B1 Intermediate
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.
Simple“The secret to her delicious soup is adding a little bit of fresh ginger.”
In context“Many entrepreneurs believe that the secret to a successful startup lies in timing rather than just the original idea.”
- 03 A2 Elementary
adj.kept hidden from others or known by only a few people.
adj.kept from knowledge or view; concealed from general notice.
Simple“They held a secret meeting in the basement to plan the surprise party.”
In context“The intelligence agency operated from a secret location that did not appear on any official maps.”
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.