secrecy
Americannoun
plural
secrecies-
the state or condition of being secret, hidden, or concealed.
a meeting held in secrecy.
- Synonyms:
- covertness, stealth, privacy, confidentiality
-
the state of being apart from other people; privacy; seclusion.
-
ability to keep a secret.
-
the habit or characteristic of being secretive; reticence.
-
Archaic. something that is secret or mysterious.
the secrecies of nature.
noun
-
the state or quality of being secret
-
the state of keeping something secret
-
the ability or tendency to keep things secret
Other Word Forms
- antisecrecy adjective
- nonsecrecy noun
- prosecrecy adjective
- semisecrecy noun
- supersecrecy noun
Etymology
Origin of secrecy
1375–1425; obsolete secre (< Middle French secré secret ) + -cy; replacing late Middle English secretee, equivalent to secre + -tee -ty 2
Explanation
Secrecy is a word for a state or condition where things are concealed or hidden. CIA agents and conspirators know a lot about secrecy. Since a secret is something some people don't know, secrecy is all about keeping things private or concealed. Being a spy involves a lot of secrecy. When information is important or sensitive, people try to create secrecy. Also, you can say secrecy is a quality people have, like courage. Someone who doesn't gossip has a good sense of secrecy. When all lips are sealed, there's secrecy.
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.
For these reasons, Signal has long been a go-to messaging service for users particularly concerned about communications secrecy, such as people working in security professions, journalists, and their sources.
From Barron's • Apr. 25, 2026
Divorce lawyers say that what’s known as financial secrecy or infidelity is at the center of many splits.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026
Gao Qiang believes such secrecy shows that "the authorities know they cannot withstand public scrutiny".
From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026
ExpressVPN uses AES-256 encryption with perfect forward secrecy across all connections.
From Salon • Mar. 30, 2026
Mr. Ages said: “That has been taken care of. She has promised secrecy, and she is to be trusted completely. That I, myself, guarantee. After all, consider who she is.”
From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien
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.
