secretion

American  

[si-kree-shuhn] / sɪˈkri ʃən /

noun

1. (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.

2. the product of this act or process.

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secretion British  

/ sɪˈkriːʃən /

noun

1. a substance that is released from a cell, esp a glandular cell, and is synthesized in the cell

2. the process involved in producing and releasing such a substance from the cell

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secretion Scientific  

/ sĭ-krē′shən /

1. The process of secreting a substance from a cell or gland.

2. A substance, such as saliva, mucus, tears, bile, or a hormone, that is secreted.

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Other Word Forms

• nonsecretion noun
• nonsecretionary adjective
• oversecretion noun
• secretionary adjective
• supersecretion noun

Etymology

Origin of secretion

1640–50; < Latin sēcrētiōn- (stem of sēcrētiō ), equivalent to sēcrēt ( us ) (past participle of sēcernere to secern ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

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

Protein secretion is a fundamental biological process by which proteins are transported from a cell into the extracellular space, which is crucial for various functions, including communication between cells, immune responses, and digestion.

From Science Daily • Nov. 22, 2024

Nearly every cellular function—metabolism, respiration, cell division, self-defense, waste disposal, secretion, signaling, growth, even cellular death—requires proteins.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Related Words

• bile
• mucus
• saliva