Secretary Meaning
/ˈsɛk.ɹə.tə.ɹi/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA person who keeps records, takes notes and handles general clerical work.
nounThe head of a department of government.
Sentence Examples
The records of our discussions are kept by the secretary.
Tom made Jill his secretary.
She chatted for a few minutes about the qualities she considered desirable in a secretary.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ scheduled all meetings and answered phone calls for the busy manager.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ organized the director's schedule and handled all incoming correspondence.
Word Origin & History
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”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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):
"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):
""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:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ scheduled all meetings and answered phone calls for the busy manager.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ organized the director's schedule and handled all incoming correspondence.