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Synonyms

sec

1 American  

  1. secant.

  2. second.

  3. section.

sec 2 American  
[sek] / sɛk /

adjective

  1. (of wines) dry; not sweet.

sec 3 American  
[sek] / sɛk /

noun

Informal.

  1. second.

SEC 4 American  
Or S.E.C.
U.S. Government.

  1. Securities and Exchange Commission: a board, consisting of five members, charged with regulating the public offer and sale of securities.

sec. 5 American  

abbreviation

  1. second.

  2. secondary.

  3. secretary.

  4. section.

  5. sector.

  6. according to.

sec. 1 British  

abbreviation

  1. second (of time)

  2. secondary

  3. secretary

  4. section

  5. sector

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
sec 2 British  
/ sɛk /

noun

  1. informal short for second 2

    wait a sec
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
SEC 3 British  

abbreviation

  1. Securities and Exchange Commission

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
sec 4 British  
/ sɛk /

adjective

  1. (of wines) dry

  2. (of champagne) of medium sweetness

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
sec 5 British  
/ sɛk /

abbreviation

  1. secant

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
sec Scientific  

  1. Abbreviation of secant

Etymology

Origin of sec2

From French, dating back to 1885–90; sack 3

Origin of sec3

First recorded in 1955–60; by shortening

Origin of sec.5

From the Latin word secundum

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Caporale suggests adding agave nectar to sweeten the lime juice base, along with orange juice or orange peel to compensate for the lack of triple sec.

From Salon • Jan. 18, 2026

Unperturbed by the battle unfolding behind him, Marquez crossed the finish line in 40 min 09.249 sec.

From Barron's • Oct. 26, 2025

Back up for a sec: Koufax pitched a shutout in Game 5 on Oct.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 21, 2024

However Caddick and Murray held on to finish in second by 0.12 sec.

From BBC • Sep. 1, 2024

Jaden stopped talking for a sec, asked me if I was okay, but I just sat there.

From "We Were Here" by Matt De La Peña

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.