sec English · revision 6056
16 Oct 2026, 04:47 by bogdan “en10k b0237: triple … steady” current version
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+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA: /sɛk/^(Wiktionary)
+
+ {{homograph|1|dry, of wine}}
+
+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1863|origins=la siccus}}
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ The wine term is [[bor|fr|sec|t=dry]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[la|siccus|t=dry]] (see [[sack]] and [[siccative]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Of champagne and other wines, dry, not sweet: 1863.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) The SOED records it in Middle English, but rarely between then and the mid-19th century.^(SOED 2002)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ In practice a champagne labelled sec is of medium sweetness, sweeter than [[brut]].^(Collins 2023) Compounds such as [[demi-sec]] and ''extra sec'' grade the dryness.^(SOED 2002) The OED also notes figurative use.^(OED 1989) Etymonline notes that French sec is recorded from the 10th century.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 1863 – dry, of wine.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)
+
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Adjective===
+ # Of wine, dry; of [[champagne]], medium sweet.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+
+ {{homograph|2|second}}
+
+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=clipping|attested=late 19th century}}
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ The clipped form is a shortening of [[second]], a unit of time.^(Etymonline)^(Collins 2023)^(SOED 2002)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ A second of time, as a colloquial or written shortening: late 19th century in the SOED;^(SOED 2002) Etymonline records it by 1956 as a printed form of the spoken clipping.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It is chiefly informal speech, as in ''wait a sec'' or ''just a sec''.^(Collins 2023)^(SOED 2002) The written abbreviation ''sec.'' also stands for seconds.^(SOED 2002)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * late 19th century – a second of time.^(SOED 2002)
+ * 1956 – in print as a spoken clipping.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Noun===
+ # ''(informal)'' A [[second]]; a moment: ''wait a sec''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[second]]
+ * [[demi-sec]]
+ * [[brut]]
+ * [[siccative]]
+ * [[desiccate]]
+
+ ==Usage notes==
+ As a written abbreviation sec is also [[secant]] in mathematics (mid-18th century),^(SOED 2002)^(Collins 2023) and secretary, section or sector.^(Collins 2023)
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}