Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Secretion
Se-cre′tion
,Noun.
[L.
secretio
: cf. F. sécrétion
.] 1.
The act of secreting or concealing;
as, the
. secretion
of dutiable goods2.
(Physiol.)
The act of secreting; the process by which material is separated from the blood through the agency of the cells of the various glands and elaborated by the cells into new substances so as to form the various secretions, as the saliva, bile, and other digestive fluids. The process varies in the different glands, and hence are formed the various secretions.
3.
(Physiol.)
Any substance or fluid secreted, or elaborated and emitted, as the gastric juice.
Webster 1828 Edition
Secretion
SECRE'TION
,Noun.
1. The act of secerning; the act of the producing from the blood substances different from the blood itself, or from any of its constituents, as bile, saliva, mucus, urine, &c. This was considered 0by the older physiologists as merely separation from the blood of certain substances previously contained in it; the literal meaning of secretion. But this opinion is generally exploded. The organs of secretion are of very various form and structure, but the most general are called glands.
2. The matter secreted, as mucus, perspirable matter, &c.