trade secret

American  

noun

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

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trade secret British  

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of trade secret

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

trade secret

Stefan can't explain more about the technique they use – like the genetic research it's a trade secret.

From BBC ● May 14, 2026

The jury on Thursday found EDO liable for breach of contract but decided EDO wasn’t liable for claims of trade secret violations between 2019 to 2021.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 20, 2026

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 ● Mar. 20, 2025

The fee varies from industry to industry, and the fees that the largest merchants pay are typically a closely guarded trade secret.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 5, 2024

It is noteworthy that each discovery was treated as a trade secret to be exploited for the benefit of a few practitioners and not given freely to the good of mankind.

From The Age of the Reformation by Smith, Preserved