trade secret

American  

noun

1. a secret process, technique, method, etc., used to advantage in a trade, business, profession, etc.

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trade secret British  

noun

1. a secret formula, technique, process, etc, known and used to advantage by only one manufacturer

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Etymology

Origin of trade secret

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

trade secret

Stefan can't explain more about the technique they use – like the genetic research it's a trade secret.

From BBC ● May 14, 2026

District Judge Pamela Chen partially denied Shkreli’s motion to dismiss the case, including ruling that the album can be considered a trade secret.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026

Actor Samuel L. Jackson revealed a trade secret from Bruce Willis that the actor says kept him sane during his five-decade career in Hollywood.

From Salon ● Mar. 20, 2025

In the recent Amazon complaint from the Federal Trade Commission, Amazon’s ad revenue is currently redacted, a trade secret so big it blots out the sun.

From Slate ● Oct. 4, 2023

No doubt together with some knowledge of geometry regarded as an esoteric trade secret, many symbols to-day current did pass down from very primitive times.

From Secret Societies And Subversive Movements by Webster, Nesta H.