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

: writing desk, escritoire

b

: a writing desk with a top section for books

secretarial

ˌse-krə-ˈter-ē-əl 

adjective

secretaryship

ˈse-krə-ˌter-ē-ˌship 

noun

Illustration of secretary

• secretary 4b

Synonyms of secretary

• registrar
• clerk

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

Long airport security lines, an impending recess, and Monday’s confirmation of Markwayne Mullin as Homeland Security secretary are driving urgent Senate talks to reopen the department. —Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 23 Mar. 2026

The Department of Transportation secretary says without a funding bill to end the shutdown, the upcoming week of travel will be worse than ever before. —Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 22 Mar. 2026

On Tuesday, March 17, Mark Ghaly, former state secretary of the Health and Human Services Agency from 2019 to 2024, led a working group of health care executives and government leaders in a discussion at UC Riverside on how to get on top of Medi-Cal changes as funding dwindles. —Pat Maio, Oc Register, 22 Mar. 2026

If confirmed by a sweeping majority, Mullin would then be sworn in as DHS secretary. —Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 22 Mar. 2026

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

Phrases Containing secretary

• executive secretary
• press secretary
• secretary bird
• secretary-general
• social secretary
• sub-secretary
• under secretary

Rhymes for secretary

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• beriberi
• breviary
• budgetary
• capillary
• catenary
• cautionary

Kids 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

secretarial

ˌsek-rə-ˈter-ē-əl 

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