An open secret is a concept or idea that is "officially" secret or restricted in knowledge, but is actually widely known; or refers to something which is widely known to be true, but which none of the people most intimately concerned are willing to categorically acknowledge in public.
Famous quotes containing the words open and/or secret:
“Luxury, then is a way of
being ignorant, comfortably
An approach to the open market
of least information.”
—Imamu Amiri Baraka (b. 1934)
“The secret of ugliness consists not in irregularity, but in being uninteresting.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)