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
Saudi Arabia is one of the UK’s key Middle East allies and the British government has been strengthening ties, with recent visits by the chancellor and foreign secretary.
—
Max Foster, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
Somehow their petition—miraculously evading Confederate interception and traveling, via the Bahamas, to Washington—arrived on the Navy secretary’s desk, though they likely weren’t released until the end of the war.
—Drew Gilpin Faust, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
Harry Boyte, founder, director and co-director of the Center for Democracy and Citizenship at the University of Minnesota and then Augsburg University, was a field secretary for Martin Luther King’s organization in the civil rights movement.
—Harry Boyte, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2026
Kelly has sponsored legislation calling for the impeachment of Kristy Noem, the Homeland Security secretary, and appeared to make her removal a precondition for supporting any DHS funding and reform package.
—Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for secretary
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Max Foster, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
Somehow their petition—miraculously evading Confederate interception and traveling, via the Bahamas, to Washington—arrived on the Navy secretary’s desk, though they likely weren’t released until the end of the war.
—Drew Gilpin Faust, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
Harry Boyte, founder, director and co-director of the Center for Democracy and Citizenship at the University of Minnesota and then Augsburg University, was a field secretary for Martin Luther King’s organization in the civil rights movement.
—Harry Boyte, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2026
Kelly has sponsored legislation calling for the impeachment of Kristy Noem, the Homeland Security secretary, and appeared to make her removal a precondition for supporting any DHS funding and reform package.
—Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 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 9 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
