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secretary-general

American  
[sek-ri-ter-ee-jen-er-uhl] / ˈsɛk rɪˌtɛr iˈdʒɛn ər əl /

noun

plural

secretaries-general
  1. the head or chief administrative officer of a secretariat.


secretary-general British  

noun

  1. a chief administrative official, as of the United Nations

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of secretary-general

First recorded in 1695–1705

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "following with concern the post-election situation in Uganda, including reports of arrests, detentions and violent incidents involving opposition figures and supporters".

From Barron's

The crisis over Greenland, though defused through a compromise negotiated by North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary-General Mark Rutte, already has many European leaders worrying about long-term damage.

From The Wall Street Journal

The president said he had agreed to the meeting at the World Economic Forum after a “very good” phone call with the secretary-general of NATO.

From The Wall Street Journal

Guterres, whose term as secretary-general ends on December 31 this year, delivered the warning at the Methodist Central Hall in London, where representatives from 51 countries met on January 10, 1946, for the General Assembly's first session.

From Barron's

China "has decided to present its candidature of the city of Xiamen to host the Secretariat" of the treaty, the Chinese mission to the United Nations wrote in a letter to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, according to a copy seen by AFP.

From Barron's