secretary en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈsɛk.(ɹ)əˌtɛɹ.i/ (General-American)
- (US) audio
- /ˈsɛk.ɹə.tə.ɹi/ (UK)
- [ˈsɛk.(ɹ)əˌtʰɛɹ.i] (General-American)
- /ˈsɛk.ɹə.tɹi/ (UK)
- sĕk'rətĕrē (General-American)
Etymology
From Medieval Latin secrētārius (“one entrusted with secrets”), from Latin secrētus (“private, secret”), past participle of secernere (“to separate, set apart”), from se- (“apart”) + cernere (“to separate”).
Meanings
-
A person who keeps records, takes notes and handles general clerical work.
The secretary at the school is in charge of communication between parents, students, and staff.
I have a personal secretary to help me organize my clients.
None of us can type, Minister. Mrs. McKay types (laugh track). She's the secretary (laugh track).
1980 February 25, Antony Jay, Jonathan Lynn, “Open Government”, in Yes Minister, season 1, episode 1, spoken by Humphrey Appleby (Nigel Hawthorne):
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(capitalized, often) The head of a department of government.
Well briefly, sir, I am the Permanent Under Secretary of State, known as the Permanent Secretary.
1980 February 25, Antony Jay, Jonathan Lynn, “Open Government”, in Yes Minister, season 1, episode 1, spoken by Humphrey Appleby (Nigel Hawthorne):
-
A managerial or leading position in certain non-profit organizations, such as political parties, trade unions, international organizations.
Ban Ki-Moon was a secretary general of the United Nations.
As the Soviet Union collapsed, the party secretaries in the Central Asian republics found themselves leaders of newly-established sovereign countries.
- (US) A type of desk, secretary desk; a secretaire.
- A secretary bird, a bird of the species Sagittarius serpentarius.
- (obsolete, qualifier:original sense) Someone entrusted with a secret; a confidant.
-
(obsolete) Someone employed as a scribe for personal correspondence.
"Do not give yourself any uneasiness about one so utterly unworthy of a thought! Sir George Kingston is without one grain of either honour or real feeling! The fact is, I have, for some months past, been his secretary, and wrote for him the letters which were sent you!"
1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The Letters Restored”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 220:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| secretarie | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic | |
| secretaries | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
secretary problem · foreign secretary · class secretary · legal secretary · Secretary General · secretary hand · subsecretary · secretary desk · secretaryess · nonsecretary · secretarial · secretaryless · parliamentary under secretary · secretary bird · secretarylike · secretary spread · press secretary · social secretary · secretaryship · Home Secretary · undersecretary · general secretary
Descendants
Relateds
tabellion · secretory · stenographer · secretion · secretariat · secretive · secret
Synonyms
clerk · scribe · administrator · administrative assistant · assistant · scrivener · seneschal · amanuensis
Translations (271)
ko 대신 (head of a department of government) · kmr sekreter (type of desk) · lt sekretorius (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · tpi sekreteri (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · pt (portugal) secretária (type of desk) · fi sekretääri (type of desk) · hu adminisztrátor (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · eo sekretario (head of a department of government) · sv sekretär (type of desk) · gv screeudeyr (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · id sekretaris (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · gl ministro (head of a department of government) · bg секрета́рка (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · it segretaria (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ru секрета́рь (head of a department of government) · ms sekretaris (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · ps سکرټر (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · uk секрета́р (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · yue 書記 /书记 (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ms setiausaha (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · es serpentario (sagittarius serpentarius) · hu titkárnő (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · te కార్యదర్శి (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · da sekretærfugl (sagittarius serpentarius) · pt secretário (head of a department of government) · sq sekretare (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · km ស្មៀន (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · be сакрата́рка (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · gv screeudeyr (sagittarius serpentarius) · et kirjatoimetaja (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ar كَاتِبَة (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · lv sekretārs (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ps سکرتر (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · gl secretario (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · kk хатшы (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · sh tȃjnīk (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · eo sekretario (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · my အတွင်းရေးမှူး (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ms sekretaris (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · fi ministeri (head of a department of government) · bg мини́стър (head of a department of government) · sw karani (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ia bureau (type of desk) · tg котиб (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · tk sekretar (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · pl sekretarz (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · it serpentario (sagittarius serpentarius) · pt secretária (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · la sēcrētārius (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · th รัฐมนตรี (head of a department of government) · ro pasăre secretar (sagittarius serpentarius) · ro secretară (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · gv screeudeyr (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · vi thư kí (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · pt secretária (head of a department of government) · pt secretário (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ko 장관 (head of a department of government) · sh секрѐта̄р (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ro secretar (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · de Sekretär (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ar سِكْرِتِيرَة (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · gv screeudeyr (head of a department of government) · ru пти́ца-секрета́рь (sagittarius serpentarius) · lt sekretorė (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ms setiausaha (head of a department of government) · kix chāmshāh (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · he מַזְכִּירָה (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · bg секрета́р (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · uz kotib (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · nb sekretær (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · vi bí thư (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · bg мини́стърка (head of a department of government) · la scrība (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · kw skrifenyades (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ka მდივანი (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · tg муншӣ (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ko 서기 (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · hu kígyászkeselyű (sagittarius serpentarius) · tpi sekreteri (head of a department of government) · kmr katib (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ru секрете́р (type of desk) · sh tȃjnica (head of a department of government) · my စက္ကရီတေရီ (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ko 비서 (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · la librarius (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · cy ysgrifennydd (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ro secretar (type of desk) · az katib (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ckb سِکرِتێر (head of a department of government) · bg писа́лище (type of desk) · ro secretară (head of a department of government) · ug كاتىپ (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · sh tȃjnica (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · tt секретар (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · hy գրասեղան (type of desk) · cs tajemník (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · ka მდივანი (head of a department of government) · sh та̑јница (head of a department of government) · id sekretaris (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · sl sekretar (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · hy քարտուղարուհի (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · be сакрата́р (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · gd rùnaire (head of a department of government) · ga rúnaí (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · nan-hbl 秘書 /秘书 (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · es secretario (head of a department of government) · gl secretario (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · fr secrétaire (head of a department of government) · sh та̑јница (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · hu államtitkár (head of a department of government) · kw skrifennyas (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · sh та̑јнӣк (head of a department of government) · my စာချီ (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · fi kirjoituspöytä (type of desk) · ky катчы (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · da sekretær (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · gd clèireach (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · hu főtitkár (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · tr sekreter (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · yue 秘書 /秘书 (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · et asjaajaja (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · cs sekretářka (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ur مُنْشی (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · fr secrétaire (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · id katib (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · lv sekretāre (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · pt secretária (type of desk) · mn бичээч (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · nv naaltsoos ííłʼíní (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · sh sekrètār (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · de Schreibsekretär (type of desk) · sh tȃjnīk (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · pt escrivaninha (type of desk) · da minister (head of a department of government) · cmn 局長 /局长 (head of a department of government) · sh та̑јница (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · fa-ira کاتِب (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · tl kalihim (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · mn ᠪᠢᠴᠢᠭᠡᠴᠢ (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ja 秘書 (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · fi kirjuri (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ia secretaria (head of a department of government) · mnb dhurutulusi (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · kmr sekreter (head of a department of government) · sh та̑јнӣк (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · hu miniszter (head of a department of government) · it ministro (head of a department of government) · ota تذكرهجی (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · sl tajnica (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · hy քարտուղար (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · th เลขาธิการ (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · tk kätip (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · es secretario (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · sk sekretárka (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · id menteri (head of a department of government) · sh tȃjnica (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · gd rùnaire (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · it scrittoio (type of desk) · it segretario (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · ja 長官 (head of a department of government) · hi सचिव (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · cy ysgrifenyddes (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · cmn 書記 /书记 (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · de Sekretär (sagittarius serpentarius) · de Sekretär (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · pl sekretarka (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · eu idazkari (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ru секрета́рь (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ba сәркәтип (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · hi सचिव (head of a department of government) · da sekretær (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · ar كَاتِب (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · th เลขานุการ (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ar سِكْرِتِير (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · fi sihteeri (sagittarius serpentarius) · az katibə (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · az münşi (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · sh tȃjnīk (head of a department of government) · ru секрета́рша (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · fa-ira سِکْرِتِر (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · la librariolus (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ms setiausaha (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · vi bộ trưởng (head of a department of government) · ru мини́стр (head of a department of government) · tl sekretarya (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ms katib (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · uk секрета́рка (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ms sekretaris (head of a department of government) · sk sekretár (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ur کاتِب (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · he מַזְכִּיר (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ja 大臣 (head of a department of government) · te సహాయకుడు (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · fi sihteeri (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ro secretar (head of a department of government) · bg секрета́р (sagittarius serpentarius) · tl kalihim (head of a department of government) · alt качы (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · fr secrétaire (type of desk) · cs sekretář (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · sah секретарь (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · xag 𐕁𐔼𐕗𐔿𐔰𐔱𐔰𐔰𐔾 (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · io sekretario (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · de Sekretärin (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ka მინისტრი (head of a department of government) · ky секретарь (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ps منشي (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · et sekretär (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · hi मुंशी (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ga rúnaí (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · sh та̑јнӣк (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ia secretaria (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ur سِکْریٹْری (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ga rúnaí (sagittarius serpentarius) · ce йозанча (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · yi סעקרעטאַר (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · gl secretaria (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · bn সম্পাদক (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · da sekretær (type of desk) · hu titkár (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · uz munshiy (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ps کاتب (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · sv sekreterare (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · de Sekretär (type of desk) · mk секрета́рка (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · sv minister (head of a department of government) · is ritari (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · te కార్యదర్శి (head of a department of government) · wuu 秘書 /秘书 (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · sl tajnik (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · nl secretaresse (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · hy քարտուղար (head of a department of government) · sah суруксут (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · sh секрета̀рица (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · cmn 大臣 (head of a department of government) · nn sekretær (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · gd rùnaire (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · cs ministr (head of a department of government) · tg котиба (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · fi sihteeri (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · lo ເລຂານຸການ (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · es escribanía (type of desk) · it segretario (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · el γραμματέας (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · grc γραμματεύς (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · yi סעקרעטאַרשע (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · sq sekretar (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · it segretario (sagittarius serpentarius) · kmr sekreter (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · el υπουργός (head of a department of government) · eo ministro (head of a department of government) · sh sekretàrica (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · hu szekreter (type of desk) · sl sekretarka (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · uz sekretar (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ga rúnaí (head of a department of government) · mk секрета́р (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · hi सचिव (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ckb سِکرِتێر (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · tr katip (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · fr messager serpentaire (sagittarius serpentarius) · cmn 書記 /书记 (leading or managerial position in certain organizations) · fa-ira مُنْشی (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · el γραμματέας (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · nl secretaris (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · cmn 秘書 /秘书 (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · de Staatssekretär (head of a department of government) · vo sekretan (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · vi thư ký (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · ja 書記 (person keeping records and handling clerical work) · es secretaria (person keeping records and handling clerical work)