SECRETARY

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does secretary mean? 

• SECRETARY (noun)
  The noun SECRETARY has 4 senses:

1. a person who is head of an administrative department of government

2. an assistant who handles correspondence and clerical work for a boss or an organization

3. a person to whom a secret is entrusted

4. a desk used for writing

  Familiarity information: SECRETARY used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SECRETARY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A person who is head of an administrative department of government

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("secretary" is a kind of...):

chief; head; top dog (a person who is in charge)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "secretary"):

undersecretary (a secretary immediately subordinate to the head of a department of government)

Secretary of Veterans Affairs (the person who holds the secretaryship of the Department of Veterans Affairs)

Secretary of Transportation; Transportation Secretary (the person who holds the secretaryship of the Department of Transportation)

Secretary of the Treasury; Treasury Secretary (the person who holds the secretaryship of the Treasury Department)

Interior Secretary; Secretary of the Interior (the person who holds the secretaryship of the Interior Department)

Secretary of State (the person who holds the secretaryship of the Department of State)

Labor Secretary; Secretary of Labor (the person who holds the secretaryship of the Department of Labor)

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (the person who holds the secretaryship of the Department of Housing and Urban Development)

Secretary of Health and Human Services (the person who holds the secretaryship of the Department of Health and Human Services)

Energy Secretary; Secretary of Energy (the person who holds the secretaryship of the Department of Energy)

Education Secretary; Secretary of Education (the person who holds the secretaryship of the Department of Education)

Defense Secretary; Secretary of Defense (the person who holds the secretaryship of the Defense Department)

Commerce Secretary; Secretary of Commerce (the person who holds the secretaryship of the Department of Commerce)

Agriculture Secretary; Secretary of Agriculture (the person who holds the secretaryship of the Department of Agriculture)

Attorney General; United States Attorney General; US Attorney General (the person who holds the position of secretary of the Justice Department)

Derivation:

secretaryship (the position of secretary)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An assistant who handles correspondence and clerical work for a boss or an organization

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

secretarial assistant; secretary

Hypernyms ("secretary" is a kind of...):

assistant; help; helper; supporter (a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "secretary"):

receptionist (a secretary whose main duty is to answer the telephone and receive visitors)

social secretary (a personal secretary who handles your social correspondence and appointments)

amanuensis; shorthand typist; stenographer (someone skilled in the transcription of speech (especially dictation))

executive secretary (a secretary having administrative duties and responsibilities)

Derivation:

secretarial (of or relating to a secretary or to a secretary's work)

secretaryship (the position of secretary)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A person to whom a secret is entrusted

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

repository; secretary

Hypernyms ("secretary" is a kind of...):

confidant; intimate (someone to whom private matters are confided)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A desk used for writing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

escritoire; secretaire; secretary; writing table

Hypernyms ("secretary" is a kind of...):

desk (a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments)

 Context examples 

The professor is writing a learned book, and he found it necessary, about a year ago, to engage a secretary.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

In some way I had excited the suspicion of Lopez, the secretary.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“I would rather find him private secretary to the First Lord than anything else,” was William's only answer, in an undervoice, not meant to reach far, and the subject dropped.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

‘This is my secretary and manager,’ said the colonel. ‘By the way, I was under the impression that I left this door shut just now.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

One morning, about a fortnight after I had obtained my liberty, Reldresal, principal secretary (as they style him) for private affairs, came to my house attended only by one servant.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

He made me sit next to him on his right, and asked me to act as secretary; Jonathan sat next to me.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The golden secretary darted through the room like a meteor with a dashing French-woman who carpeted the floor with her pink satin train.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

“I know you would not mind,” said Agnes, coming to me, and speaking in a low voice, so full of sweet and hopeful consideration that I hear it now, “the duties of a secretary.”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Following Sir Nigel's counsel, they pressed on upon foot until they were close to the prince's secretary, who was in high debate with a young and foppish knight, who was bent upon making his way past him.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Thus, in addition to the cousins Dorothy and Florence, Martin encountered two university professors, one of Latin, the other of English; a young army officer just back from the Philippines, one-time school-mate of Ruth's; a young fellow named Melville, private secretary to Joseph Perkins, head of the San Francisco Trust Company; and finally of the men, a live bank cashier, Charles Hapgood, a youngish man of thirty-five, graduate of Stanford University, member of the Nile Club and the Unity Club, and a conservative speaker for the Republican Party during campaigns—in short, a rising young man in every way.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)