Illustration of secretary
- secretary 4b
secretary
noun
sec·re·tary ˈse-krə-ˌter-ē 
ˈse-kə-ˌter-,
in rapid speech also ˈsek-ˌter-,
especially British ˈse-k(r)ə-trē
plural secretaries
1
: one employed to handle correspondence and manage routine and detail work for a superior
2
a
: an officer of a business concern who may keep records of directors' and stockholders' meetings and of stock ownership and transfer and help supervise the company's legal interests
b
: an officer of an organization or society responsible for its records and correspondence
3
: an officer of state who superintends a government administrative department
the secretary of labor
4
a
: writing desk, escritoire
b
: a writing desk with a top section for books
secretarial
ˌse-krə-ˈter-ē-əl
adjective secretaryship
ˈse-krə-ˌter-ē-ˌship
noun 
Synonyms
- clerk
- register
- registrar
- scribe
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
You can set up an appointment with my secretary. He works as a legal secretary. He was the club's secretary. He is a junior secretary at the embassy.
Recent Examples on the Web Patricia Scotland, secretary general of the Commonwealth, told the BBC on Saturday. 
Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2022 King Charles III will meet the secretary general of the Commonwealth, Baroness Scotland, who heads the central body that has served the group of former colonies since it was established in 1965. Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 11 Sep. 2022 Spokesperson for the secretary general, Stéphane Dujarric, said the International Atomic Energy Agency will take the lead on when to visit the plant. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 27 Aug. 2022 Opponents label it as a shadowy state within a state, led by Hassan Nasrallah since his ascension to secretary-general in 1992. Adam Pourahmadi, CNN, 26 Aug. 2022 Francisco Lima Mena, secretary general of SIECA, an economic NGO, says the plan could enhance regional competitiveness. Katherine Love, Forbes, 25 Aug. 2022 Zita Ihedoro, secretary general of Sisters of Jesus, the Saviour Generalate, said the four were abducted while traveling from Rivers state to Imo for a thanksgiving Mass on Sunday. Washington Post, 22 Aug. 2022 The United Nations’ secretary-general, António Guterres, condemned the attack in a statement issued by his office and expressed his condolences for the families of the victims and the government and people of Somalia. Gabriele Steinhauser, WSJ, 20 Aug. 2022 After her retirement from the Population Fund in 2000, Sadik served as special adviser to the secretary-general and special envoy on HIV/AIDS in Asia and the Pacific. Edith M. Lederer, Baltimore Sun, 16 Aug. 2022 See More
Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2022 King Charles III will meet the secretary general of the Commonwealth, Baroness Scotland, who heads the central body that has served the group of former colonies since it was established in 1965. Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 11 Sep. 2022 Spokesperson for the secretary general, Stéphane Dujarric, said the International Atomic Energy Agency will take the lead on when to visit the plant. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 27 Aug. 2022 Opponents label it as a shadowy state within a state, led by Hassan Nasrallah since his ascension to secretary-general in 1992. Adam Pourahmadi, CNN, 26 Aug. 2022 Francisco Lima Mena, secretary general of SIECA, an economic NGO, says the plan could enhance regional competitiveness. Katherine Love, Forbes, 25 Aug. 2022 Zita Ihedoro, secretary general of Sisters of Jesus, the Saviour Generalate, said the four were abducted while traveling from Rivers state to Imo for a thanksgiving Mass on Sunday. Washington Post, 22 Aug. 2022 The United Nations’ secretary-general, António Guterres, condemned the attack in a statement issued by his office and expressed his condolences for the families of the victims and the government and people of Somalia. Gabriele Steinhauser, WSJ, 20 Aug. 2022 After her retirement from the Population Fund in 2000, Sadik served as special adviser to the secretary-general and special envoy on HIV/AIDS in Asia and the Pacific. Edith M. Lederer, Baltimore Sun, 16 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English secretarie, from Medieval Latin secretarius, confidential employee, secretary, from Latin secretum secret, from neuter of secretus
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing secretary
Kids Definition
secretary
noun
sec·re·tary ˈse-krə-ˌter-ē
plural secretaries
1
: a person who is employed to take care of records, letters, and routine work for another person
2
: an officer of a business corporation or society who is in charge of the letters and records and who keeps minutes of meetings
3
: a government official in charge of a department
the secretary of education
4
: a writing desk with a top section for books
Legal Definition
secretary
noun
sec·re·tary
plural secretaries
often capitalized
1
: an officer of a business concern who may keep records of directors' and stockholders' meetings and of stock ownership and transfer and help supervise the company's interests
2
: a government officer who superintends an administrative department
secretaries
noun
as in clerks
an official whose job is to keep records file your intent to run for office with the city secretary Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- clerks
- registrars
- registers
- reporters
- bookkeepers
- archivists
- recorders
- historians
- scribes
- transcriptionists
- chroniclers
- annalists
- documenters