n. 1. The process of secreting a substance, especially one that is not a waste, from the blood or cells: secretion of hormones; secretion of milk by the mammary glands. 2. A substance, such as saliva, mucus, tears, bile, or a hormone, that is secreted. [French sécrétion, from Old French, separation, from Latin sēcrētiō, sēcrētiōn-, from sēcrētus, past participle of sēcernere, to set aside; see SECERN.] se·cretion·ar′y (-shə-nĕr′ē) adj. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
n. 1. The act of concealing something in a hiding place. 2. The act of stealing something secretly. [From SECRETE2.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.