hush-hush
UK[ˌhʌʃ ˈhʌʃ]US[ˌhʌʃ ˈhʌʃ]
adj
kept secret or confidential; not to be discussed publicly
Morpheme Breakdown
hush
hush
hush
silence
hush
silence
Etymology
the word 'hush' is an onomatopoeic term from the late middle english period, likely imitative of the sound used to command silence. the reduplicated compound 'hush-hush' emerged in the early 20th century, specifically during world war i, as military slang. the repetition of the word intensifies its meaning, transforming the command for quiet into an adjective describing something that must be kept quiet, or secret. this formation follows a common pattern in english where reduplication creates an emphatic or frequentative sense, evolving from a literal call for silence to a metaphorical one for confidentiality.
Analysis
Structure: hush (silence) + hush (silence)
hush (english, onomatopoeic interjection/verb meaning 'to make or become silent'); hush (english, onomatopoeic interjection/verb meaning 'to make or become silent')
Examples
the details of the merger are still very hush-hush.
they were working on a hush-hush government project.
the whole affair was kept hush-hush to avoid public panic.