World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English DictionariesOpen secret
/ˌoʊ.pən ˈsiː.krɪt/Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
1 sense- 1
A supposed secret that is actually widely known by many people.
"Their impending merger was an open secret long before the official press release was issued."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
The term combines the adjective 'open' (from Old English 'open') with 'secret' (derived from Latin 'secretus', meaning separated or set apart). It emerged as an oxymoronic idiom in the 19th century to describe a paradox where official discretion fails because widespread informal knowledge makes a supposedly confidential matter universally understood.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Open secret"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Open secret" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
secret de polichinelle
Transliteration: se-kʁɛ də pɔ.li.ʃi.nɛl
"Leur relation est un secret de polichinelle dans le bureau."
offenes Geheimnis
Transliteration: ˈɔfənəs ɡəˈhaɪmnɪs
"Dass er das Unternehmen verlassen wird, ist ein offenes Geheimnis."
segreto di Pulcinella
Transliteration: seˈɡrɛːto di pultʃiˈnɛlla
"La sua candidatura era ormai un segreto di Pulcinella."
secreto a voces
Transliteration: seˈkɾeto a ˈboθes
"Su divorcio era un secreto a voces entre los vecinos."
segredo de polichinelo
Transliteration: seˈɡɾedu dʒi poliʃiˈnɛlu
"A promoção dele já era um segredo de polichinelo."
खुला राज़
Transliteration: khulā rāz
"यह बात अब एक खुला राज़ बन चुकी है।"
公开的秘密
Transliteration: gōngkāi de mìmì
"他们的恋情已经是公开的秘密了。"
공공연한 비밀
Transliteration: gonggongyeonhan bimil
"그의 퇴사 계획은 이미 공공연한 비밀이었다."
公然の秘密
Transliteration: kōzen no himitsu
"彼の新しいプロジェクトについては公然の秘密となっていた。"
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