secret
n. countablen. something that you do not tell other people. You keep it hidden so only a few people know about it.
n. information that is kept hidden or known only by a limited number of people. Often used to describe a method or fact that explains why someone is successful.
I have a secret that I cannot tell you.
The two friends shared a secret that they promised never to tell their parents.
The chef refused to reveal the secret of his signature sauce, claiming that the specific blend of spices was a family inheritance passed down through generations.
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”).
Commonly used with the verbs 'keep', 'tell', or 'share'. Takes the preposition 'of' when describing the reason for success.
He told me a secret about of his jobHe told me a secret about his jobLearners sometimes add 'of' after 'about' when describing the topic of a secret.