# secretary

/ˈsɛkɹəˌtɛɹi/ (US) · /sˈɛkɹətɹˌi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/secretary
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. office assistant

noun · CEFR A2

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

For teachers: 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.

### 2. government official

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

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

For teachers: 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.

### 3. organizational leader

noun · CEFR B1

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

For teachers: 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.

### 4. a type of desk

noun · CEFR C1 · American English

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

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The secretary answers the phone and takes messages.
- The school secretary handles all the paperwork for new students and organizes the principal's calendar.
- While the role was once strictly clerical, a modern secretary often manages complex digital workflows and serves as the primary point of contact for an entire department.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.