secret society
Hidden membership club
A secret society is an organization whose membership, activities, or rituals are concealed from outsiders.
Some are fraternal orders with elaborate initiation rites and hierarchies—the Freemasons, Skull and Bones.
Others pursue political aims clandestinely.
The term often carries sinister connotations, suggesting hidden influence or conspiracy: People love to blame secret societies for world events.
- initiationFormal admission ceremony
- clandestineConcealed from authorities
- closed doorsSealed entry points
- brotherhoodKinship among men
- ritualCeremonial set of actions
arcane · mask · guild · esoteric knowledge · shadow · Skull and Bones · vetted · occultism · Illuminati · blood oath · conspiracy · order · robes · shadow government · hidden agenda · alchemy · oath · lodge
- campus fictionschool stories, campus romance, campus politics, campus protest, college comedy
- secret groupscabal, Freemasons, cult, coven, Skull and Bones
- groupsteam, teams, group, club, clubs
- Fictional Groupsguild, brotherhood, order, legion, league
- YA booksyoung adult fiction, dystopian, fantasy, romance, coming-of-age
- covert activitiesspying, sneaking, eavesdropping, snooping, hiding
secret societyopen society
Society permitting free inquiry
public institution · civic organization · public charity · open forum · town hall
secret societycommunity center
Shared neighborhood gathering space
mass movement · grassroots organization · open forum · public library · public square
secret societygovernment agency
State administrative body
regulatory body · public body · established church · public utility · civil service
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