Secretion is the process of producing and releasing substances, such as glands secreting hormones or enzymes. As a noun, it also refers to the substance produced or the act of secreting. The term is commonly used in biology and medicine, and in contexts describing bodily fluids or manufactured products. It denotes an active emission or export from a gland or cell.
US: rhotacized vowel in some speakers? Treat first vowel as schwa, stress on /kriː/. UK: lean toward /sɪˈkriː.ʃən/ with a slightly clipped first vowel; AU: similar to US, but with marginally broader vowels and a stronger non-rhoticity in some speakers. IPA references: /səˈkriː.ʃən/ vs /sɪˈkriː.ʃən/. Focus on maintaining /ˈkriː/ and the /ʃ/ blend preceding -ən.
"The secretion of mucus helps protect the respiratory tract."
"Glands regulate the secretion of hormones to balance bodily functions."
"A buildup of secretion can indicate an infection or blockage."
"The lab studied the chemical secretion of the sample to identify its composition."
Secretion comes from Latin secretiō, secretīōn- “a hiding, secrecy,” from verb secretus “hidden,” from secerno “to separate, set apart.” In Latin, secretio meant “a concealment, discharge, or secretion,” related to the verb secernere “to separate, distinguish.” The English term entered technical use via Latin and French medical writings in the 17th–18th centuries, aligning with anatomy and physiology discussions about glandular products and bodily discharges. The root secret- carries the notion of separation or concealment turning into outward emission—hence secretion as a product released by a cell or gland. Over time, “secretion” broadened beyond biological-pharmacological contexts to refer to any emitting substance, including industrial or chemical releases. Today, it sits in medical, biological, and everyday scientific language, often paired with organ names (nasal secretion, gastric secretion) to specify source and function. First known uses appear in early modern scientific texts describing glandular processes and secretions essential to digestion, immunity, and reproduction. In contemporary usage, it spans cellular biology to clinical diagnosis and pharmacology. Overall, it retains the core sense of “emission from a secret place” while extending to various contexts of substance production and release.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Secretion" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Secretion"
-ion sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronunciation: sɪˈkriː.ʃən (US) or səˈkriː.ʃən (UK) depending on the speaker’s vowel quality. The primary stress is on the second syllable: kriː. The first syllable is unstressed or lightly stressed in American speech. Mouth position: start with a soft s, then a short high front vowel in the first syllable, then a long /iː/ in the second syllable, ending with /ʃən/ as in “shun.” See audio references on Pronounce or Forvo to hear the exact sequences.
Common mistakes include saying it as se-KREE-shun with wrong stress on the first syllable, or pronouncing /kriː/ as /krɪ/ (short i) leading to /səˈkrɪʃən/. Another error is reducing the final syllable to /ən/ without the /ʃ/ blend. Correct by maintaining a long /iː/ in the second syllable and ensuring the /ʃ/ blends with the schwa to form /ʃən/. Practice with the minimal pair set (secret vs secretion) to fix this.
US: /səˈkriː.ʃən/ with a rhotic-ish initial /ə/ and clear /iː/ in stressed syllable. UK: /sɪˈkriː.ʃən/ or /səˈkriː.ʃən/, often with a slightly shorter first vowel. AU: /sɪˈkriː.ʃən/ similar to US but with minor vowel qualities and more clipped final /ən/. All share stress on the second syllable; rhoticity affects the first vowel quality slightly, not the core vowel in /kriː/.
The difficulty lies in the three-syllable rhythm with a long /iː/ in the second syllable and the /ʃ/ combined with a reduced final /ən/. The initial unstressed syllable can be feint, so you may drift into /sɪ/ or /sə/. Also, the cluster /ˈkriː/ demands a precise articulation of a high-front vowel followed by a strong confluent /k/ and /r/ sequence. Practice tight mouth positioning and tempo to stabilize it.
A unique angle is the distinction between “secretion” as a noun and “secretory” as adjective, which can influence pronunciation when used in phrases like “secretory pathway” or “secreted fluid.” In “secreted,” the final -ed changes pronunciation to /t/ or /ɪd/ depending on context, but “secretion” remains /-ʃən/ at the end. The stress pattern remains fixed on the second syllable.”
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