secret society

American

noun

an organization, as a fraternal society, the members of which take secret initiation oaths, share secret passwords and rites, and are bound to assist each other.

secret society British

noun

a society or organization that conceals its rites, activities, etc, from those who are not members

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of secret society

First recorded in 1820–30

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.

See Examples For:

secret society

In his final year he joined the Cambridge Apostles, a club that the historian Hugh Trevor-Roper described as “an egregious secret society of self-perpetuating self-admiring narcissi.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

La Mutua formed in 1900 as a secret society to assist members fighting against the theft of their land and water rights.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2024

He was business manager of The Yale Daily News and a member of the exclusive Skull and Bones secret society.

From New York Times ● Jun. 17, 2024

The movie, written and directed by Kobi Libii, is a satire about a secret society of Black people dedicated to making white lives easier.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 17, 2024

What if he’s part of some secret society?

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023