Secret

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French secré, secret, from Latin secretus, from past participle of secernere to separate, distinguish, from se- apart + cernere to sift

• Date: 14th century

Definitions

• 1 a : kept from knowledge or view : hidden

b : marked by the habit of discretion : closemouthed

c : working with hidden aims or methods : undercover <a secret agent>

d : not acknowledged : unavowed <a secret bride>

e : conducted in secret <a secret trial>

• 2 : remote from human frequentation or notice : secluded

83 : revealed only to the initiated : esoteric

• 4 : designed to elude observation or detection <a secret panel>
• 5 : containing information whose unauthorized disclosure could endanger national security — compare confidential, top secret

Synonyms

covert, stealthy, furtive, clandestine, surreptitious

Description

Secrecy (also called clandestinity or furtiveness) is the practice of hiding information from certain individuals or groups, perhaps while sharing it with other individuals. That which is kept hidden is known as the secret.

Secrecy is often controversial, depending on the content of the secret, the group or people keeping the secret, and the motivation for secrecy. Secrecy by government entities is often decried as excessive or in promotion of poor operation; excessive revelation of information on individuals can conflict with virtues of privacy and confidentiality.