secretary

noun

sec·​re·​tary ˈse-krə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce secretary (audio)
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
b
: a writing desk with a top section for books
secretarial adjective
secretaryship noun

Illustration of secretary

Illustration of secretary
  • secretary 4b

Examples of secretary in a Sentence

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Doug Collins Trump named Doug Collins to be his secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Kinsey Crowley, The Indianapolis Star, 21 Nov. 2024 McMahon, the former Small Business Administration director, will be secretary during what could be turbulent times for the department. Erin Doherty, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024 Apollo Global Management, an investment firm whose CEO, Marc Rowan, is said to be under consideration for Treasury secretary, as first reported by The New York Times, has seen its share price jump more than 12%. Max Zahn, ABC News, 20 Nov. 2024 Popular conservative media personality Pete Hegseth, a military veteran, has been nominated as Defense secretary and could take over one of the nation’s largest employers. Rebekah Bastian, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for secretary 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of secretary was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near secretary

Cite this Entry

“Secretary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secretary. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

secretary

noun
sec·​re·​tary ˈsek-rə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce secretary (audio)
plural secretaries
1
: a person employed to handle records, letters, and routine work for another person
2
: an officer of a business corporation or society who has charge of the letters and records
3
: a government official in charge of a division
Secretary of State
4
: a desk with a top section for books
secretarial adjective

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

More from Merriam-Webster on secretary

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