secretary-general
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
See Examples For:
Some observers say he's been more strident in pushing for UN reform, and believes the UN secretary-general should take a more hands-on approach.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Senegal's ex-president Macky Sall, who is campaigning to become the next UN secretary-general, held a meeting in Dakar Friday with his successor, a visit criticised by the former leader's detractors.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
“We have to prepare to ensure there are safeguards in place,” said Byun, the union’s secretary-general.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
“This logic rewards deep pockets, and most developing countries cannot match the support that the largest economies now deploy,” said Pedro Manuel Moreno, acting secretary-general of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
He was probably the most accomplished negotiator in the ranks of the ANC, a skill he honed as secretary-general of the National Union of Mine Workers.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Previous secretaries-general have brought threats that they saw to international peace and security to the Security Council without mentioning Article 99.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 7, 2023
We don’t know why they didn’t invoke Article 99, and several of the previous secretaries-general are now dead.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 7, 2023
"The secretaries-general who've failed to get full second terms have antagonized one of the permanent five Security Council members," he said.
From Reuters ● Jun. 19, 2011
At Caramanlis' urging, the Cabinet fired all the military-appointed provincial prefects and all secretaries-general of the government ministries.
From Time Magazine Archive
The chief of all the personnel of prefects, under-prefects, and secretaries-general represented there, lolling on these velvet divans in this vulgar greenroom.
From His Excellency the Minister by Roberts, Henri
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
