secret child
Concealed family member
A secret child is offspring whose existence is hidden from others—typically from a spouse, family, or the public.
The secrecy usually stems from an affair, a relationship before marriage, or circumstances that would cause scandal or complications if revealed: He discovered he had a secret child from a relationship decades ago.
The term appears frequently in tabloid stories about celebrities and in soap opera plots.
- hiddenKept out of sight
- illegitimateNot authorized or recognized
- bastardChild of unmarried parents
- lovechildOffspring of unmarried parents
- birth fatherMale who conceived child
affair · scandal · adoption · birthmother · paternity · blood test · concealed · skeleton in the closet · kept quiet · shameful · heir · bloodline · whispered · disowned · family · revelation · DNA · birth certificate
- soap operassoap opera, telenovela, melodrama, cliffhanger, amnesia
- tabloidsNational Enquirer, TMZ, Daily Mail, People, Globe
secret childlegitimate heir
Lawfully entitled inheritor
rightful heir · heir apparent · crown prince · crown princess · heir presumptive
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