trade secret

noun

1. a secret process, technique, method, etc., used to advantage in a trade, business, profession, etc.

trade secret

noun

1. a secret formula, technique, process, etc, known and used to advantage by only one manufacturer

Word History and Origins

Origin of trade secret¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

When Moore first entered the industry in the mid-2000s, he said his mentors habitually kept trade secrets.

From Los Angeles Times

This week, the clash over Knock LA exploded into the legal system, with dueling lawsuits that allege copyright and trademark infringement, defamation and even theft of trade secrets.

From Los Angeles Times

Chinese companies have engaged in serial intellectual property theft, brazenly stealing American companies’ trade secrets and illegally repackaging them for export at heavily subsidized prices.

From Los Angeles Times

Intellectual property concerns have landed India on the 'Priority Watch List', for which the report cites weak patent protections and a lack of trade secret laws.

From BBC

Actor Samuel L. Jackson revealed a trade secret from Bruce Willis that the actor says kept him sane during his five-decade career in Hollywood.

From Salon