adv · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈsiː.kɹɪt.li/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
/ˈsiː.kɹət.li/weak vowel merger
CMU ARPABET:S IY1 K R IH0 T L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
In secret, covertly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Examples
Mary cheated secretly in the test, and never got caught.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adverb
Meaning 2
not openly; inwardly
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
they were secretly delighted at his embarrassment
hoped secretly she would change her mind
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adverb
Meaning 3
in secrecy; not openly
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
met secretly to discuss the invasion plans
the children secretly went to the movies when they were supposed to be at the library
they arranged to meet in secret
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: in secret, on the Q.T., on the QT
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English secret Middle English -ly English -ly English secretly From secret + -ly.
Across languages
Translations
99 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Albanian:
fshehurazi
— in a secret manner
Albanian:
fshehtas
— in a secret manner
Arabic:
سِرًّا
(sirran)
— in a secret manner
Armenian:
թաքուն
(tʻakʻun)
— in a secret manner
Armenian:
ծածուկ
(cacuk)
— in a secret manner
Azerbaijani:
gizlicə
— in a secret manner
Azerbaijani:
xəlvətcə
— in a secret manner
Azerbaijani:
əlaltından
— in a secret manner
Azerbaijani:
gizlin
— in a secret manner
Bashkir:
йәшерен
(yəşeren)
— in a secret manner
Bashkir:
йәшертен
(yəşerten)
— in a secret manner
Belarusian:
тае́мна
(tajémna)
— in a secret manner
Bulgarian:
тайно
(tajno)
— in a secret manner
Bulgarian:
незабелязано
(nezabeljazano)
— in a secret manner
Catalan:
secretament
— in a secret manner
Catalan:
cobertament
— in a secret manner
Catalan:
en secret
— in a secret manner
Chinese Mandarin:
偷偷
(tōutōu)
— in a secret manner
Czech:
tajně
— in a secret manner
Danish:
hemmeligt
— in a secret manner
Danish:
i dølgsmål
— in a secret manner
Dutch:
stiekem
— in a secret manner
Esperanto:
sekrete
— in a secret manner
Finnish:
salaa
— in a secret manner
Finnish:
salaisesti
— in a secret manner
Finnish:
salassa
— in a secret manner
Finnish:
vaivihkaa
— in a secret manner
French:
secrètement
— in a secret manner
French:
en cachette
— in a secret manner
West-Frisian:
temûk
— in a secret manner
German:
heimlich
— in a secret manner
German:
insgeheim
— in a secret manner
Gothic:
𐌸𐌹𐌿𐌱𐌾𐍉
(þiubjō)
— in a secret manner
Gothic:
𐌰𐌽𐌰𐌻𐌰𐌿𐌲𐌽𐌹𐌱𐌰
(analaugniba)
— in a secret manner
Greek:
κρυφά
(kryfá)
— in a secret manner
Greek:
μυστικά
(mystiká)
— in a secret manner
Ancient Greek:
κρυφῇ
(kruphēî)
— in a secret manner
Ancient Greek:
λάθρᾳ
(láthrāi)
— in a secret manner
Ancient Greek:
λαθραίως
(lathraíōs)
— in a secret manner
Greek:
κρυφᾷ
(kruphāî)
— in a secret manner
Hindi:
चुपके
(cupke)
— in a secret manner
Hindi:
छुपके
(chupke)
— in a secret manner
Hungarian:
titkon
— in a secret manner
Hungarian:
titokban
— in a secret manner
Ido:
sekrete
— in a secret manner
Irish:
gan fhios
— in a secret manner
Italian:
di nascosto
— in a secret manner
Japanese:
ひそかに
(hisoka ni)
— in a secret manner
Karachay-Balkar:
джашыртын
(caşırtın)
— in a secret manner
Karachay-Balkar:
таша
(taşa)
— in a secret manner
Karachay-Balkar:
кёргюзтмей
(körgüztmey)
— in a secret manner
Karachay-Balkar:
билдирмей
(bildirmey)
— in a secret manner
Karakalpak:
jasırın
— in a secret manner
Kazakh:
жасырын
(jasyryn)
— in a secret manner
Korean:
몰래
(mollae)
— in a secret manner
Kumyk:
яшыртгъын
(yaşırtğın)
— in a secret manner
Kumyk:
яшыртгъынлыкъ булан
(yaşırtğınlıq bulan)
— in a secret manner
Latgalian:
paslapyn
— in a secret manner
Latgalian:
paslapši
— in a secret manner
Latin:
clam
— in a secret manner
Latin:
furtim
— in a secret manner
Latin:
latenter
— in a secret manner
Latvian:
slepeni
— in a secret manner
Middle English:
sleighly
— in a secret manner
Northern Altai:
туйукка
(tuyukka)
— in a secret manner
Northern Altai:
чажырып
(čažïrïp)
— in a secret manner
Northern Altai:
чажыды была
(čažïdï bïla)
— in a secret manner
Polish:
potajemnie
— in a secret manner
Portuguese:
secretamente
— in a secret manner
Russian:
та́йно
(tájno)
— in a secret manner
Russian:
секре́тно
(sekrétno)
— in a secret manner
Russian:
тайко́м
(tajkóm)
— in a secret manner
Russian:
вта́йне
(vtájne)
— in a secret manner
Russian:
скры́тно
(skrýtno)
— in a secret manner
Sanskrit:
सनुतर्
(sanutar)
— in a secret manner
Scottish Gaelic:
os ìosal
— in a secret manner
Serbo-Croatian:
кришом
— in a secret manner
Serbo-Croatian:
тајом
— in a secret manner
Serbo-Croatian:
тајно
— in a secret manner
Serbo-Croatian:
krišom
— in a secret manner
Serbo-Croatian:
tajom
— in a secret manner
Serbo-Croatian:
tajno
— in a secret manner
Southern Altai:
јажытту
(ǰažïttu)
— in a secret manner