secernitur

Secernitur is a Latin verb form meaning “it is separated,” “it is set apart,” or more generally “it is distinguished.” It is the third-person singular present passive indicative of the verb secernere, which conveys the act of separating, distinguishing, or extracting elements from a whole. In Latin syntax, secernitur is commonly used in descriptions where a substance, quality, or part is being identified as distinct from others.

Etymology and range of meaning. The root secernere is built from se- (apart) plus cernere (to discern or perceive). This lineage gives secernere a broad span of senses, from separating physical substances to distinguishing characteristics or ideas. In later Latin, the term also appears in scientific and medical contexts to describe processes that involve separation or extraction of a component. Because meaning in Latin is tightly tied to context, secernitur can translate as “it is separated,” “it is distinguished,” or, in some physiological passages, “it is secreted,” depending on the surrounding terminology and subject matter.

Usage and translation. Secernitur occurs mainly in Latin texts—classical, late antique, and medieval—where precise description of a process or distinction is required. In modern scholarship, translators choose among “it is separated,” “it is distinguished,” or, when appropriate to physiology, “it is secreted,” to reflect the intended sense in the source passage. The form exemplifies how Latin verbs function in passive constructions to present processes as occurring or being performed on an object.

See also: secernere, cernere, secretio, secretion.