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

• 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

But then, whoever imagined that a musical about George Washington’s Treasury secretary would make for a Broadway mega-hit? —David Lyman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Sep. 2025

When Payzant left San Diego Unified in 1993 to become an assistant secretary in the fledgling Clinton administration’s Department of Education, the school board bypassed a national search and quickly appointed Pendleton his successor. —Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2025

From the day of death until the interment of an associate justice of the Supreme Court, a secretary of an executive or military department, a former vice president or the governor of a state. —Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 26 Sep. 2025

Her filing was backed by 18 former Federal Reserve officials, Treasury secretaries and other top economic officials who served under presidents from both parties. —Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025

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