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View synonyms for

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. (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.

  4. 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.
  5. a piece of furniture for use as a writing desk.
  6. Also called secretary bookcase. 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
“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
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Derived Forms

  • secretarial, adjective
  • ˈ𳦰ٲ󾱱, noun
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Other Word Forms

  • ۱·ٲy·󾱱 noun
  • ܲ·۱·ٲy noun plural subsecretaries
  • sub·۱·ٲy·󾱱 noun
  • under·۱·ٲy·󾱱 noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of secretary1

1350–1400; Middle English secretarie one trusted with private or secret matters; confidant < Medieval Latin ŧŧܲ < Latin ŧŧ ( um ) secret (noun) + -ary
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Word History and Origins

Origin of secretary1

C14: from Medieval Latin ŧŧܲ, from Latin ŧŧum something hidden; see secret
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The culture secretary has said the BBC's licence fee is "unenforceable" and insisted "no options are off the table" when the government begins a review into the corporation's current funding model later this year.

From

Since they first conceived of the study, President Trump took office and appointed as secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime critic and skeptic of established vaccine science.

From

Trump has continued to stand by his defence secretary and others involved in the incident, telling reporters earlier this week: "Pete's doing a great job ... Everybody's happy with him."

From

So too, it seems, is his secretary of Defense.

From

The bill defines the co-ordinating doctor as a registered medical practitioner with "training, qualifications and experience" at a level to be specified by the health secretary.

From

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secretariatsecretary bird