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
Dialogue in both storylines eddies with 1980s references, including to Live Aid, Baby Jessica (rescued from a well), Health and Human Services secretary Margaret M. Heckler, the 1986 U.S. airstrikes against Libya and the 1985 surgery on Ronald Reagan’s colon.
—
Celia Wren, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024
Kevin Carr, the former secretary of the DOC, announced his retirement from the agency at the beginning of March and did not share a reason for his departure.
—Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2024
The treasury secretary is on the back end of her second visit to China in nine months to meet with state officials.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 8 Apr. 2024
The group's president, Greg Garcia, second vice president, Vincent Vasquez, and secretary/treasurer, Arnold Mejia, are Latinos.
—Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 5 Apr. 2024
The French foreign minister was standing beside Blinken at the time and expressly condemned the strike, but the secretary was much more muted.
—Shannon K. Crawford, ABC News, 5 Apr. 2024
Asked to respond to those who question any and all efforts that focus on better serving migrant populations, the secretary called criticisms myopic.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2024
Women have had a leading role in protests and in the opposition movement in Cuba and have disproportionately suffered from repressive government tactics, said Enrique Roig, deputy assistant secretary of state in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
Campbell, serving in the White House under President Joe Biden as Asia czar, had precious little to say about Myanmar then, nor did lawmakers ask him about Myanmar during his recent confirmation as deputy secretary of state.
—Timothy McLaughlin, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
Celia Wren, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024
Kevin Carr, the former secretary of the DOC, announced his retirement from the agency at the beginning of March and did not share a reason for his departure.
—Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2024
The treasury secretary is on the back end of her second visit to China in nine months to meet with state officials.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 8 Apr. 2024
The group's president, Greg Garcia, second vice president, Vincent Vasquez, and secretary/treasurer, Arnold Mejia, are Latinos.
—Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 5 Apr. 2024
The French foreign minister was standing beside Blinken at the time and expressly condemned the strike, but the secretary was much more muted.
—Shannon K. Crawford, ABC News, 5 Apr. 2024
Asked to respond to those who question any and all efforts that focus on better serving migrant populations, the secretary called criticisms myopic.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2024
Women have had a leading role in protests and in the opposition movement in Cuba and have disproportionately suffered from repressive government tactics, said Enrique Roig, deputy assistant secretary of state in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
Campbell, serving in the White House under President Joe Biden as Asia czar, had precious little to say about Myanmar then, nor did lawmakers ask him about Myanmar during his recent confirmation as deputy secretary of state.
—Timothy McLaughlin, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'secretary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near secretary
Cite this Entry
“Secretary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secretary. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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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