secretary

[sek-ri-ter-ee]

noun

plural

secretaries 

1. a person, usually an official, who is in charge of the records, correspondence, minutes of meetings, and related affairs of an organization, company, association, etc..

   the secretary of the Linguistic Society of America.

2. a person employed to handle correspondence and do routine work in a business office, usually involving taking dictation, typing, filing, and the like.

3. private secretary.

4. (often initial capital letter),  an officer of state charged with the superintendence and management of a particular department of government, as a member of the president's cabinet in the U.S..

   Secretary of the Treasury.

5. Also called diplomatic secretary. a diplomatic official of an embassy or legation who ranks below a counselor and is usually assigned as first secretary, second secretary, or third secretary.

6. a piece of furniture for use as a writing desk.

7. Also called secretary bookcase. a desk with bookshelves on top of it.

secretary

/ -ərɪ, ˈsɛkrətrɪ, ˌsɛkrɪˈtɛərɪəl /

noun

1. a person who handles correspondence, keeps records, and does general clerical work for an individual, organization, etc

2. the official manager of the day-to-day business of a society or board

3. (in Britain) a senior civil servant who assists a government minister

4. (in the US and New Zealand) the head of a government administrative department

5. (in Britain) See secretary of state

6. (in Australia) the head of a public service department

7. diplomacy the assistant to an ambassador or diplomatic minister of certain countries

8. another name for secretaire

Other Word Forms

• secretaryship noun
• subsecretary noun
• subsecretaryship noun
• undersecretaryship noun
• secretarial adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of secretary¹

1350–1400; Middle English secretarie one trusted with private or secret matters; confidant < Medieval Latin sēcrētārius < Latin sēcrēt ( um ) secret (noun) + -ārius -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of secretary¹

C14: from Medieval Latin sēcrētārius, from Latin sēcrētum something hidden; see _secret

Example Sentences

Adding fuel to the fire that same year, Theresa May - home secretary at the time - shared a story during party conference about a Bolivian man who avoided deportation because of his pet cat.

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She has spoken to both Britain's prime minister and communities secretary since last week's attack and believes they both listened to her call for action.

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Number 10's press secretary said on Monday "the suggestion that the government withheld evidence, withdrew witnesses or restricted the ability of a witness to draw on a particular bit of evidence are all untrue".

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A Conservative government would triple the use of stop and search powers in high crime areas in England and Wales, the shadow home secretary has said.

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The hearing was told the secretary of state for justice opposes the release of Norris from prison.

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Related Words

• assistant 
• clerk 
• executive secretary