secretariat

noun

sec·​re·​tar·​i·​at ˌse-krə-ˈter-ē-ət 

-ē-ˌat

1

: the office of secretary

2

: a secretarial corps

specifically : the clerical staff of an organization

3

: the administrative department of a governmental organization

Examples of secretariat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Velasco, a millennial who came of age in the digital era, is among the youngest officials to head the secretariat. —Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026

Also present are independent observers such as the IMF, the World Bank, the European Commission and the United Nations, while staff from the French Treasury hosts the meetings and provides a secretariat. —Sven Van Mourik, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026

Unijapan also serves as the secretariat for bilateral co-production treaties through the platform. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 Mar. 2026

Aides to her office and the various Executive Branch secretariats packed the pressroom, where windows were opened to let cold outdoor air in. —State House News Service, Boston Herald, 28 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French secrétariat, from Medieval Latin secretariatus, from secretarius

First Known Use

1811, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for secretariat

• bivariate
• vicariate
• chariot
• lariat
• variate
• multivariate
• proletariat
• uniseriate
• univariate

Kids Definition

secretariat

noun

sec·​re·​tar·​i·​at ˌsek-rə-ˈter-ē-ət 

-ē-ˌat

1

: the secretaries of an organization

2

: the division of administration of a governmental organization

the United Nations secretariat