secretion
Americannoun
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(in a cell or gland) the act or process of separating, elaborating, and releasing a substance that fulfills some function within the organism or undergoes excretion.
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the product of this act or process.
noun
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a substance that is released from a cell, esp a glandular cell, and is synthesized in the cell
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the process involved in producing and releasing such a substance from the cell
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The process of secreting a substance from a cell or gland.
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A substance, such as saliva, mucus, tears, bile, or a hormone, that is secreted.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of secretion
1640–50; < Latin sēcrētiōn- (stem of sēcrētiō ), equivalent to sēcrēt ( us ) (past participle of sēcernere to secern ) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
A secretion is a substance made and released by a living thing, like when your skin sweats. Secretions don't have to do with secrets, but with secreting: synthesizing and then producing a substance. A machine can't make a secretion — only living things can. Many secretions are harmless, while others are dangerous to other animals. For example, the secretions of some frogs are a type of poison. Some secretions stay within an animal, like the bile secreted by our livers. Saliva is another secretion. The word comes from the Latin root secretionem, "separation."
Vocabulary lists containing secretion
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Secretion of GnRH by the hypothalamus is inhibited by high levels of estradiol, but stimulated by low levels of estradiol.
From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022
Figure 23.17 The Three Phases of Gastric Secretion Gastric secretion occurs in three phases: cephalic, gastric, and intestinal.
From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013
Secretion of GnRH by the hypothalamus is inhibited by low levels of estrogen but stimulated by high levels of estrogen.
From Textbooks • Apr. 25, 2013
Secretion of GnRH by the hypothalamus is inhibited by low levels of estrogen but stimulated by high levels of estrogen.
From Textbooks • Apr. 25, 2013
The Secretion then totally stopt; he remained for upwards of five Weeks in the Hospital at Dorchester, and made no Water; at the End of which Time I first visited him along with Mr. Adair.
From An Account of the Diseases which were most frequent in the British military hospitals in Germany by Monro, Donald
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
