Secretary

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈsÉ›k.ɹəˌtÉ™.ɹi/, /ˈsÉ›k.ɹə.tɹi/
• US IPA: /ˈsÉ›kɹətɛɹi/

Origin

From Medieval Latin secretarius ("one entrusted with secrets"), from Latin secretus ("private, secret"), past participle of secernere ("to separate, set apart"), from se- ("apart") + cernere ("to separate").

Noun

1. (obsolete) Someone entrusted with a secret; a confidant.
2. (person keeping records and handling clerical work)A person who keeps records, takes notes and handles general clerical work.
3. (head of a department of government)(often capitalized) The head of a department of government.
4. (leading or managerial position in certain organizations)A managerial or leading position in certain non-profit organizations, such as political parties, trade unions, international organizations.Ban Ki-Moon is the current secretary general of the United Nations.
5. (type of desk)(US) A type of desk, secretary desk; a secretaire.
6. (sagittarius serpentarius)A secretary bird, a bird of the species Sagittarius serpentarius.

Derived terms

• secretary bird
• secretary desk

Related terms

• secret
• secretion
• secretive
• secretory

Full definition of secretary

Verb

1. (transitive) To serve as a secretary of.