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
Derived Forms
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nonsecretionnoun
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oversecretionnoun
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supersecretionnoun
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nonsecretionaryadjective
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secretionaryadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
See Examples For:
The team found that many common, non-harmful gut bacteria carry type III secretion systems.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 27, 2026
Novo’s cautious C-suite was ready to target Type 2 diabetes—an obvious choice, as GLP-1 augments insulin secretion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025
Future research could also explore how to safely boost CtBP2 secretion in the bloodstream to slow age-related decline and improve overall well-being.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 31, 2025
The EU has already defined dairy items as products coming from the "normal mammary secretion".
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2025
Diluted Bundimun secretion is used in certain magical cleaning fluids.
From "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by J.K. Rowling
It was a tale about organic matter, the sound and smell of silk, wool and cotton, their inevitable decay a result of skin secretions, chemicals, light and time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 2026
In theory, each ingredient plays a role: one dries secretions, another loosens phlegm, a third dulls the cough reflex.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2025
More recent laboratory tests have also detected the virus in cows' nasal secretions for a short time before the virus presents in their raw milk.
From Salon ● May 13, 2024
It is unclear exactly how the cows became infected, but the most likely source is feces or other secretions from a wild bird infected with the virus.
From New York Times ● Apr. 24, 2024
The shelves are lined with apothecary bottles that twinkle like jewels, as well as clear jars and magnificent flasks containing resins, balms, waxes, and oils made from flowers, plant secretions, and extracts.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
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.
