1640s, in animal physiology, "act of preparing and expressing substances by glandular activity;" 1732 as "that which is secreted," from French sécrétion, from Latin secretionem (nominative secretio) "a dividing, separation," noun of action from past participle stem of secernere "to separate, set apart" (see secret (n.)).

"produce, prepare, or elaborate by process of secretion," 1707 (implied in secreted), a back-formation from secretion. Related: Secretes; secreting; secretious.

"of or pertaining to secretion, having the function of secreting," 1690s; see secrete (v.1) + -ory.

"excessive secretion of urine," 1680s, medical Latin, from Greek diourein "to urinate," from dia "through" (see dia-) + ourein "urinate," from ouron (see urine) + -esis.

"secreting internally," 1914, from endo- + Latinized form of Greek krinein "to separate, distinguish" (from PIE root *krei- "to sieve," thus "discriminate, distinguish"). Denoting glands having an internal secretion.

"a secretion of the sebaceous glands," 1728, from medical use of Latin sebum "sebum, suet, grease," which is perhaps related to sapo "soap" (see soap (n.)), but de Vaan is skeptical and gives it no etymology.

1530s, "waste discharged from the body," from Latin excrementum, from stem of excretus, past participle of excernere "to sift out, discharge," from ex "out" (see ex-) + cernere "sift, separate" (from PIE root *krei- "to sieve," thus "discriminate, distinguish"). Originally any bodily secretion, especially from the bowels; exclusive sense of "feces" is since mid-18c. Related: Excremental; excrementitious.

also antiperspirant, 1935, in advertisements for Nonspi ("The Safe Anti-Perspirant for Fastidious Women"), from anti- + perspire, probably modeled on older deodorant. Technically an application preventing or restricting the flow of perspiration, as opposed to a deodorant, which deodorizes only and in no way affects secretion.

chemical formed in the pineal gland of mammals that regulates certain physiological activities, 1958, from Greek melas "black, dark" (see melano-) + ending from serotonin. So called because its secretion is inhibited by sunlight, or because it changes the skin color of certain reptiles and amphibians.

"to throw out or eliminate," specifically "to eliminate from an body by a process of secretion and discharge," 1610s, from Latin excretus, past participle of excernere "to sift out, discharge," from ex "out" (see ex-) + cernere "sift, separate" (from PIE root *krei- "to sieve," thus "discriminate, distinguish"). Related: Excreted; excreting.