# secretive

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈsiːkɹɪtɪv/ · frequency rank #20,767

## Definitions
1. Having an inclination to secrecy.

## Etymology
From Middle English secretife, equivalent to secret + -ive.

## Easily confused with
- **secrete** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/secrete-vs-secretive)
- **secretion** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/secretion-vs-secretive)

## Common misspellings (13)
`escretive`, `sceretive`, `seccretive`, `secertive`, `secreitve`, `secretiev`, `secretivve`, `secrettive`, `secretvie`, `secrretive`, `secrteive`, `sercetive`, `ssecretive`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/secretive