sec

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations'SEC': /ˌɛsiːˈsiː/; 'sec': /ˈsɛk/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/sɛk/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(sek)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
sec1 /sɛk/USA pronunciation   adj. 
  1. Wine(of wine) dry;
    not sweet.

sec2 /sɛk/USA pronunciation  n. [countable;
usually singular usually: a + ~]
  1. a second:Wait a sec; I'm not ready yet.

sec,  an abbreviation of:
  1. Timesecond.
  2. secretary.
  3. section.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
sec1  (sek),USA pronunciation adj. 
  1. Wine(of wines) dry;
    not sweet.
  • French; see sack3
  • 1885–90

sec2  (sek),USA pronunciation n. [Informal.]
  1. Informal Termssecond2 (def. 2).
  • by shortening 1955–60

SEC, [U.S. Govt.]
  1. GovernmentSecurities and Exchange Commission: a board, consisting of five members, charged with regulating the public offer and sale of securities.
Also, S.E.C. 
sec, 
    1. Mathematicssecant.
    2. Timesecond.
    3. section.

sec-1 
  1. Mathematics[Symbol, Trig.]arc secant.

sec., 
    1. second.
    2. secondary.
    3. secretary.
    4. section.
    5. sector.
    6. according to.
    • Latin secundum

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
sec /sɛk/ adj
  1. (of wines) dry
  2. (of champagne) of medium sweetness
Etymology: 19th Century: from French, from Latin siccus
sec /sɛk/ n
  1. informal
    short for second2: wait a sec
sec /sɛk/ abbreviation for
  1. secant
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
SEC abbreviation for
  1. Securities and Exchange Commission
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
sec. abbreviation for
  1. second (of time)
  2. secondary
  3. secretary
  4. section
  5. sector
'sec' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

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