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secretion

[si-kree-shuhn]

noun

(in a cell or gland) the act or process of separating, elaborating, and releasing a substance that fulfills some function within the organism or undergoes excretion.

the product of this act or process.

Origin:
1640–50; < Latin sēcrētiōn- (stem of sēcrētiō), equivalent to sēcrēt(us) (past participle of sēcernere to secern) + -iōn- -ion

Related forms

se·cre·tion·ar·y

[si-kree-shuh-ner-ee] , adjective

non·se·cre·tion, noun

non·se·cre·tion·ar·y, adjective

o·ver·se·cre·tion, noun

su·per·se·cre·tion, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To secretion

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Secretion is always a great word to know.

So is stratified layers. Does it mean:

cavity or vessel formed by elongated cells or by many cells

arranged by class or strata

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Example Sentences

Digestion slows down as the secretion of digestive enzymes decreases.

Rapid reaction suggests that protein might be abundantly present and the secretion by exocytosis might be important.

Melatonin secretion normally increases in winter and peaks around midnight.

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Collins

World English Dictionary

secretion (sɪˈkriːʃən)

—n
1.	a substance that is released from a cell, esp a glandular cell, and is synthesized in the cell
2.	the process involved in producing and releasing such a substance from the cell

[C17: from Medieval Latin sēcrētiō, from Latin: a separation; see secern]

se'cretionary

—*adj*

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

secretion

1646, from Fr. sécrétion, from L. secretionem (nom. secretio) "separation," from pp. stem of secernere "to separate, set apart" (see secret). The verb secrete in this sense is a back-formation first attested 1707.

American Heritage

Medical Dictionary

secretion se·cre·tion (sĭ-krē'shən)
n.

The process of secreting a substance from a cell or gland.
A substance, such as saliva, mucus, tears, bile, or a hormone, that is secreted.

American Heritage

Science Dictionary

secretion

(sĭ-krē'shən) Pronunciation Key

The process of secreting a substance from a cell or gland.
A substance, such as saliva, mucus, tears, bile, or a hormone, that is secreted.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Encyclopedia

secretion

in biology, production and release of a useful substance by a gland or cell; also, the substance produced. In addition to the enzymes and hormones that facilitate and regulate complex biochemical processes, body tissues also secrete a variety of substances that provide lubrication and moisture. Within an individual cell the Golgi apparatus and its associated secretory granules are thought to be the structures responsible for the production and release of secretory substances.

Learn more about secretion with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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