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
b
: a writing desk with a top section for books
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
The secretary of Homeland Security has also waived applicable environmental laws for border projects, a power granted in the Real ID Act of 2005.
—
Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Searches of business records kept by the Colorado and Kansas secretaries of state did not show an entity registered with that name in either state, though a business with that name is registered in Delaware.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026
At certain points in his second term, various Cabinet secretaries have allegedly been on the outs but then managed to survive.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026
The board also approved cutting positions at multiple school sites, including assistant principals, high school teachers, special education specialists, custodians and secretaries, as well as the district’s only communications director.
—Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for secretary
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Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Searches of business records kept by the Colorado and Kansas secretaries of state did not show an entity registered with that name in either state, though a business with that name is registered in Delaware.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026
At certain points in his second term, various Cabinet secretaries have allegedly been on the outs but then managed to survive.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026
The board also approved cutting positions at multiple school sites, including assistant principals, high school teachers, special education specialists, custodians and secretaries, as well as the district’s only communications director.
—Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for secretary
Cite this Entry
“Secretary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secretary. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
secretary
noun
sec·re·tary
ˈsek-rə-ˌter-ē
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
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