secretary

1 of 2

noun (1)

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

secretaryship

2 of 2

noun (2)

sec·​re·​tary·​ship -ˌship 

: the duties or office of a secretary

Synonyms of secretary

Noun (1)

• registrar
• clerk

Examples of secretary in a Sentence

Noun (1)

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

Noun

The man overseeing it all is a history maker himself — the first black secretary of the Smithsonian, Lonnie Bunch. — NBC news, 5 July 2026

How — and to what extent — AI might reshape her profession remains to be seen, but jobs for administrative assistants and secretaries have been dwindling for decades. — Claire Savage, Fortune, 5 July 2026

The unearthed quarters included north-south thoroughfares intersected by east-west streets, forming open squares and public spaces, said Hisham el-Leithy, secretary general of the supreme council of antiquities. — ABC News, 4 July 2026

The company was paid to produce dozens of videos for DHS while McLaughlin worked there, including an ad of former secretary Kristi Noem in a cowboy hat atop a horse in front of Mount Rushmore. — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English secretarie, from Medieval Latin secretarius, confidential employee, secretary, from Latin secretum secret, from neuter of secretus

First Known Use

Noun (1)

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
• apiary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• bacillary
• beriberi
• bestiary
• breviary
• budgetary

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