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
Richard Danzig, secretary of the Navy during the Clinton administration, has long warned that old-school bureaucracies within the Defense Department reflexively fight basic reforms on procurement in favor of continuing to buy expensive weapons designed for U.S. needs in the 20th century.
—
U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025
The White House is considering an executive order that would tell the education secretary to slash the department as far as possible and urge Congress to fully terminate it.
—Bianca Vázquez Toness, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025
As for the potential secretary of Health and Human Service, when Republican Senator Steve Daines of Montana asked nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about his plans for mifepristone, one of two drugs used to end pregnancies within 70 days, Kennedy said Trump asked him to study the safety of the pill.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
Nelson stole a computer, credit cards and car from Dobson and church secretary Judy Elliott, according to evidence presented at the trial.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for secretary 
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U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025
The White House is considering an executive order that would tell the education secretary to slash the department as far as possible and urge Congress to fully terminate it.
—Bianca Vázquez Toness, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025
As for the potential secretary of Health and Human Service, when Republican Senator Steve Daines of Montana asked nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about his plans for mifepristone, one of two drugs used to end pregnancies within 70 days, Kennedy said Trump asked him to study the safety of the pill.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
Nelson stole a computer, credit cards and car from Dobson and church secretary Judy Elliott, according to evidence presented at the trial.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for secretary
Dictionary Entries Near secretary
Cite this Entry
“Secretary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secretary. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
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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