secretary-general

noun

sec·​re·​tary-gen·​er·​al ˈse-krə-ˌter-ē-ˈjen-rəl How to pronounce secretary-general (audio)
-ˈje-nə-rəl
plural secretaries-general
: a principal administrative officer
secretary-general of the United Nations

Examples of secretary-general in a Sentence

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.
Qiu Yuanyuan, secretary-general of the Jiangsu International Communication Center at Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation, moderated the discussion, which focused on how Chinese content can travel more effectively in international markets. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Feb. 2026 The former secretary-general of the United Nations was a co-recipient of the Peace prize in 2001. Connor Greene, Time, 16 Jan. 2026 Thant’s accomplishments are all the more impressive because the position of secretary-general carries no real power—except for the moral authority to speak for the world as a whole. Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025 The colossi were toppled by a strong earthquake in about 1200 BC that also destroyed Amenhotep III's funerary temple, said Mohamed Ismail, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. CBS News, 15 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for secretary-general

Word History

First Known Use

1701, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of secretary-general was in 1701

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Cite this Entry

“Secretary-general.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secretary-general. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

secretary-general

noun
plural secretaries-general
: a principal officer of administration
secretary-general of the United Nations
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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