secretary
secretary — noun
1. someone whose job is to manage letters and emails, answer phone calls, schedule
someone whose job is to manage letters and emails, answer phone calls, schedule meetings, and carry out other clerical tasks for a manager or an organization
The new secretary organizes all of Dr. Okafor's patient appointments and travel arrangements.
collocation: secretary + organizes + appointments
Lara asked her secretary to type the letter and send it to the client before noon.
pattern: ask + secretary + to-infinitive
Our office secretary logs every phone call and takes messages when the manager is away.
Ritu found a job as a legal secretary at a firm near the central station.
Each morning the secretary sorts the mail for the department's three senior staff members.
- administrative assistant
a more modern and formal term, often preferred in corporate settings for broader office-management duties
- assistant
broader in meaning; may include personal tasks and direct project support
- clerk
typically focuses on filing, data entry, and routine paperwork rather than correspondence or scheduling
文法句型
adjective + secretary (legal secretary, executive secretary)
possessive + secretary (her secretary, the manager's secretary)
用法筆記
Frequently paired with an adjective that specifies the work context, such as legal secretary, medical secretary, or executive secretary. The role is distinct from a receptionist, who primarily greets visitors, or a personal assistant, who may handle personal errands.
常見錯誤
2. an officer within a club, society, or committee who records what happens at meet
an officer within a club, society, or committee who records what happens at meetings, sends official messages to members, and maintains the group's documents
The tennis club secretary sends out meeting reminders to all forty members.
collocation: club secretary / committee secretary / society secretary
Emre was elected secretary of the student council and takes notes at every meeting.
pattern: elected secretary of [organization]
The secretary read the minutes from last month's meeting before the discussion began.
Anyone who wants to join the hiking group should contact the secretary by email.
- recording secretary
specifies the officer who writes the minutes of meetings
- clerk
used in some formal committees (e.g., clerk of the committee), though less common for volunteer groups
文法句型
secretary of [organization]
secretary to [committee]
[club/society] secretary
用法筆記
The secretary of a club or committee is usually an elected or appointed officer among the group's members. The role is often paired with a treasurer or chairperson in the officer lineup.
3. a senior official who has overall responsibility for managing a large organizati
a senior official who has overall responsibility for managing a large organization, such as an international body, a government agency, or a major institution
The UN Secretary-General called for an emergency meeting of world leaders.
collocation: Secretary-General (capitalized as a title)
Christopher serves as the secretary of the regional health authority, overseeing five hospitals.
The board of directors appointed a new company secretary to handle shareholder communications.
As secretary of the charity, Ilan manages a team of twenty staff across three offices.
- administrator
more generic; does not imply the record-keeping or correspondence duties of a secretary
- director
more common in business contexts, though usually at a slightly higher level
- executive officer
formal term for a senior manager in an organization
文法句型
Secretary-General of [organization]
secretary of [institution/authority]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 — in this role the person is a senior administrator or executive, not a support worker. The company secretary in many jurisdictions is a legally required officer with duties to shareholders and regulators.
常見錯誤
4. (in the United Kingdom) the member of the government who is in charge of a major
(in the United Kingdom) the member of the government who is in charge of a major government department, such as the Foreign Office or the Home Office
The Foreign Secretary travelled to Geneva for trade talks with European leaders.
capitalized title: Foreign Secretary / Home Secretary / Defence Secretary
In the UK the Health Secretary is responsible for the National Health Service.
The Education Secretary announced new funding for primary schools across England.
A new Home Secretary was appointed after the previous minister resigned from the post.
- minister
the more general term for a member of government heading a department; used in most countries
- cabinet minister
specifies that the person sits in the cabinet
- secretary of state
the full formal title in the UK system
文法句型
the [Department] Secretary (UK), Secretary of State for [Department]
用法筆記
The full official title is Secretary of State for [Department], but in news and everyday use the short form [Department] Secretary is common (e.g. Health Secretary, Defence Secretary). Always capitalized as part of a title.
常見錯誤
5. (in the United States) a member of the President's cabinet who leads a federal g
(in the United States) a member of the President's cabinet who leads a federal government department, for example the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of the Treasury
The Secretary of Defense testified before Congress about the military budget.
capitalized title: Secretary of Defense / Secretary of State / Secretary of the Treasury
President Kim nominated Liang to serve as the next Secretary of Energy.
The US Secretary of the Treasury meets regularly with the Federal Reserve chair.
Each cabinet secretary advises the president on matters within their department's area.
- cabinet secretary
generic term for a US department head who sits in the cabinet
- department head
more generic, used in non-governmental contexts too
- minister
not used in US federal government but used internationally for equivalent roles
文法句型
Secretary of [Department] (US system)
用法筆記
Unlike the UK system where the title is '[Department] Secretary', the US form is 'Secretary of [Department]'. The US Secretary of State handles foreign affairs and is equivalent to a foreign minister in other countries. Not to be confused with sense 4.
常見錯誤
6. a piece of furniture that combines a writing surface, often a drop-down flap, wi
a piece of furniture that combines a writing surface, often a drop-down flap, with a set of drawers, cabinets, or shelves above for storing books and papers
Amihan bought an antique secretary with a drop-down writing surface and glass shelves on top.
description: drop-down flap + bookcase top section
The old secretary in the study has a locked drawer where Grandfather kept letters.
Romi found a Victorian secretary at the flea market for only two hundred dollars.
The wooden secretary stands against the wall with its writing flap folded up.
- escritoire
a French-derived term for a similar writing desk, often more ornate
- secretary desk
the fuller two-word name for this piece of furniture
- bureau
a broader term that can include writing desks, but also refers to chests of drawers
用法筆記
Also called a secretary desk or escritoire. This meaning is uncommon in everyday conversation and appears mostly in discussions of antique furniture. You may also see the French term 'secrétaire' used in furniture catalogues.