English Reference

Word

secretary

Phoneticssec·re·tary

US/ˈsɛkɹəˌtɛɹi/

UK/sˈɛkɹətɹˌi/

Definitions

01office assistant

A2 · Elementary Countable noun

n. a person who works in an office, answers phones, and organizes meetings.

n. an employee who performs clerical and administrative tasks, such as managing correspondence and scheduling appointments.

“The school secretary helped the new student find her classroom.”

“The legal secretary spent the afternoon drafting contracts and coordinating the senior partner's travel arrangements for the upcoming conference.”

Synonyms

assistantadministratorclerk

02government official

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Law Formal

n. a very senior official who is the head of a government department.

n. the head of a major government department or ministry, often reporting directly to a president or prime minister.

“The Secretary of State met with leaders from other countries.”

“The newly appointed Education Secretary announced a series of reforms aimed at improving literacy rates in rural primary schools.”

Synonyms

minister

03organizational leader

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun

n. a person in charge of the daily business of a club or organization.

n. an official in a non-profit organization, trade union, or political party responsible for administrative leadership.

“He was elected as the secretary of the local tennis club.”

“As the general secretary of the trade union, she was responsible for leading the negotiations during the industrial dispute.”

Synonyms

officialorganizer

04a type of desk

C1 · Advanced Countable noun American English

n. a tall piece of furniture used for writing that often has a folding top.

n. a writing desk with a top section for books and a hinged surface that folds down for writing.

“She kept her old letters in the drawers of the antique secretary.”

“The mahogany secretary stood in the corner of the library, its intricate carvings reflecting the craftsmanship of the eighteenth century.”

Synonyms

secretairewriting desk

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”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

NOUN

secretary(A2)

ADJECTIVE

Idioms

01. secretary spread

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
Frequency
Very common
Level
A2 · ElementaryOxford
Updated

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