: 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
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.
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Linda McMahon, the secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, said the federal government will resume involuntary collections for borrowers in default on May 5.—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025 Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images The White House has begun the process of looking for a new secretary of defense, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly.—Tom Bowman, NPR, 21 Apr. 2025 Phil Hegseth: The defense secretary's brother works at the Pentagon as a senior adviser to Hegseth and is a liaison between the Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon.—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Apr. 2025 It was updated in 2004 — in an agreement signed by Colin Powell, the U.S. secretary of state, and Per Stig Møller.—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for secretary
Word History
Etymology
Middle English secretarie, from Medieval Latin secretarius, confidential employee, secretary, from Latin secretum secret, from neuter of secretus
: 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
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