Pronunciation: [sɪkɹˈiːʃən] (IPA) 
The word "secretion" (sɪˈkriːʃən) refers to the process of releasing a substance from a gland or organ, such as sweat or hormones. The spelling of this word can be broken down into its phonetic components: "secre-" (sɪˈkriː), which means to hide or conceal, and "-tion" (-ʃən), which forms a noun from a verb. The stress falls on the second syllable, and the "c" is pronounced as an "s" sound, as opposed to a hard "k" sound.
Secretion is a biological process through which living organisms, from microorganisms to complex multicellular organisms, release substances into their environment or within their own body. It refers to the production and release of specific substances by cells or glands, essential for various physiological functions of an organism.
Secretion can occur in various forms and serve different purposes depending on the organism and its specific needs. It can involve the release of chemical compounds, fluids, or waste materials. In multicellular organisms, secretions often play crucial roles in communication and maintaining homeostasis.
Certain cells in organisms secrete substances externally, releasing them into the surrounding environment. Examples of this type of secretion include the mucus produced by goblet cells in the respiratory and digestive tracts, sweat produced by sweat glands in the skin, and saliva secreted by salivary glands in the mouth.
On the other hand, some secretions are directed internally, released within the body to perform specific functions. For instance, hormones are chemical messengers secreted by various endocrine glands that regulate processes such as growth, metabolism, and reproduction. Enzymes, necessary for digestion, are secreted by specialized cells lining the digestive system.
In summary, secretion is a crucial biological process involving the production and release of specific substances by cells or glands. It plays a vital role in various physiological functions required for the normal functioning and maintenance of living organisms.
1. The production by a cell or aggregation of cells (a gland) of some substance differing in chemical and physical properties from the body from which or by which it is produced. 2. The product, solid, liquid, or gaseous, of cellular or glandular activity. A secretion is stored up in or utilized by the animal or plant in which it is produced, there by differing from an excretion which is intended to be expelled from the body.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
• Concealment.
• The process by which substances are separated from the blood or its constituents, different from the blood itself, as saliva, bile, urine, &c.; one of the substances thus separated.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "secretion" originated from the Latin term "secretio", which is the noun form of the verb "secreto", meaning "to secrete" or "to hide". This Latin word is derived from the noun "secretum", meaning "secret" or "secret thing". "Secretum" is the neuter form of "secretus", which is the past participle of the verb "secerno", meaning "to separate" or "to set apart". Therefore, the etymology of "secretion" can be traced back to Latin roots indicating the act of secreting or separating.
