state secret
state secret. A governmental matter that would be a threat to the national defense or diplomatic interests of the United States if revealed; information possessed by the government and of a military or diplomatic nature, the disclosure of which would be contrary to the public interest. • State secrets are privileged from disclosure by a witness in an ordinary judicial proceeding. — Also termed governmental secret; government secret. See executive privilege under PRIVILEGE(3). [Cases: Witnesses 216. C.J.S. Witnesses §§ 361–364.]
