hidden
Americanadjective
verb
verb
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hidden
First recorded in 1540–50, for the adjective
Explanation
Hidden things can't be seen — they're concealed in some way. A hidden video camera inside a teddy bear might secretly be keeping an eye on a new babysitter. People with hidden feelings don't let their sadness, anger, and joy show; and hidden clues in a treasure hunt can't be easily found. Hidden things can be obscured deliberately (like hidden eggs at an Easter egg hunt), or simply out of view or undetected by you. Hidden is the past participle of hide, from the Old English hydan, which means "to hide or conceal," but also "to bury a corpse."
Vocabulary lists containing hidden
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.
In his opening arguments, Haytham Faraj, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said Orellana-Peralta and her mother had hidden in a changing room on the second floor amid the commotion of the police response.
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
Social media companies say AI‑generated content should always be labelled, but the BBC found multiple examples where disclaimers were hidden, unclear or missing.
From BBC • May 7, 2026
This new framework could provide a more stable and efficient way to uncover hidden parameters across a wide variety of systems.
From Science Daily • May 6, 2026
Reporting by the BBC has suggested devices can periodically capture screenshots, which are then stored in hidden folders accessible to authorities.
From Barron's • May 5, 2026
The hinge was hidden deep in the wood, the ancient riser undisturbed.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
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.
