secretarial

American  

[sek-ri-tair-ee-uhl] / ˌsɛk rɪˈtɛər i əl /

adjective

1. noting, of, or pertaining to a secretary or a secretary's skills and work.

   a secretarial school.

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Other Word Forms

• nonsecretarial adjective
• subsecretarial adjective
• unsecretarial adjective

Etymology

Origin of secretarial

First recorded in 1795–1805; secretary + -al ¹

Example Sentences

He assembled a research team to gather source documents, and a secretarial squad to which he dictated with a fervor he would make famous in World War II.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

The donations, from five trade unions and staff associations, paid for "external secretarial support" for the Justice Unions Parliamentary group chaired by the MP.

From BBC • Jan. 27, 2026

She left home at 17 to work in the theater, temping at secretarial jobs while studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2025

Trump’s secretarial nominations for the Treasury and Commerce departments were in attendance.

From Slate • Jan. 22, 2025

She rose from a secretarial position to become one of the country’s distinguished editors.

From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin