security

American  

[si-kyoor-i-tee] / sɪˈkjʊər ɪ ti /

noun

• securities
  plural

1. freedom from danger, risk, etc.; safety.

2. freedom from care, anxiety, or doubt; well-founded confidence.

   Synonyms:

   positiveness, certainty, assurance

3. something that secures or makes safe; protection; defense.

   Synonyms:

   safety, safeguard

4. freedom from financial cares or from want.

   The insurance policy gave the family security.

5. precautions taken to guard against crime, attack, sabotage, espionage, etc..

   claims that security was lax at the embassy;

   the importance of computer security to prevent hackers from gaining access.

6. a department or organization responsible for protection or safety.

   He called security when he spotted the intruder.

7. protection or precautions taken against escape; custody.

   The dangerous criminal was placed under maximum security.

8. an assurance; guarantee.

9. Law.

   1. something given or deposited as surety for the fulfillment of a promise or an obligation, the payment of a debt, etc.

   2. one who becomes surety for another.

10. an evidence of debt or of property, as a bond or a certificate of stock.

11. Usually securities. stocks and bonds.

12. Archaic. overconfidence; cockiness.

---

adjective

1. of, relating to, or serving as security.

   The company has instituted stricter security measures.

security British  

/ sɪˈkjʊərɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state of being secure

2. assured freedom from poverty or want

   he needs the security of a permanent job

3. a person or thing that secures, guarantees, etc

4. precautions taken to ensure against theft, espionage, etc

   the security in the government offices was not very good

5. (often plural)

   1. a certificate of creditorship or property carrying the right to receive interest or dividend, such as shares or bonds

   2. the financial asset represented by such a certificate

6. the specific asset that a creditor can claim title to in the event of default on an obligation

7. something given or pledged to secure the fulfilment of a promise or obligation

8. a person who undertakes to fulfil another person's obligation

9. the protection of data to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to computer files

10. archaic carelessness or overconfidence

---

security Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing security

• lull into (false sense of security)

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonsecurity
  noun
• oversecurity
  noun
• self-security
  noun
• subsecurity
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• securities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of security

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English securytye, securite(e), from Latin sēcūritās; see origin at secure, -ity

Explanation

Security means safety, as well as the measures taken to be safe or protected. In order to provide adequate security for the parade, town officials often hire extra guards. A small child will sometimes latch on to a blanket or stuffed animal that gives him or her the feeling of security. Often this word is used in compounds such as a security measure, security check or security guard. The security department in a business is sometimes just called security. If there's a troublesome customer at your work, call security to take him away. In the financial world, a stock or bond is also called a security.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

security securities

Sweden's armed forces have asked the government to expropriate a Russia-owned property near a naval base on security grounds.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

If they aren’t allowed family or security or the possibility of loving freely, she asks, what do they have?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

Her campaign has since stumbled, notably when she acknowledged during a debate that she was "not that informed on national security" while answering a question about Taiwan.

From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026

On at least one occasion, she was provided an in-person security detail.

From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026

But, as I’d been reminded on multiple occasions by my mom, the security of the future was more important than satisfying a twelve-year-old girl’s wanderlust.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

It ended the quarter with $151.1 million in cash and marketable securities.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

This comes after the Treasury last week doubled its buyback of long-end securities to more than $4 billion per operation from $2 billion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

The state holds seized securities for 18 months, at which point they are required to be sold and the proceeds transferred into the state’s general fund.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

Brusca said he didn’t see the logic in Treasury buying back securities even as it continues to borrow in the market.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026

They’d form a not-for-profit legal entity whose sole purpose was to sue Moody’s and S&P, and donate the proceeds to investors who lost money investing in triple-A-rated securities.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• bond
• care
• freedom
• guarantee
• insurance
• preservation
• surveillance