secretary
gb/sˈɛkɹɪtˌɛɹi/ us/sˈɛkɹɪtˌɛɹi/
A2
English
~ 700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Office administrative assistant
A person who works in an office, helping with writing letters, answering calls, and organizing meetings.
Usage pattern:
[someone] works as a secretary
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'secretary' with 'secret agent' because of the shared root 'secret', but the meanings are unrelated.
Synonyms
assistant (A broader term that can refer to any helper, not only in office work.)
|
administrator (Often refers to someone managing operations, sometimes at a higher level than a secretary.)
Antonyms
employer (An employer hires and directs the secretary, rather than performing support tasks.)
Collocations
personal secretary
|company secretary
|executive secretary
|legal secretary
|secretary position
Themes
business
|workplace
|administration
|work
|communication
Examples
- The secretary answered the phone and took a message for her boss.
- He hired a new secretary to manage his schedule.
- As a secretary, she organizes all the company’s meetings.
- The secretary typed the report and sent it to all staff.
- Her secretary booked the flight and hotel for the conference.
Learner examples
- My mother is a secretary in a big office.
- The secretary writes emails for the manager.
- I asked the secretary for help with my form.
- The secretary makes phone calls every day.
- He is the new secretary in our school.
Noun
B1
entity
2
Government department head
A top leader of a government department.
Usage pattern:
Secretary of [Department]
Common mistake:
Learners may think all 'secretaries' do clerical work; in government, it means a high-level leader.
Synonyms
minister (Used in many countries instead of 'secretary' for similar roles.)
Antonyms
subordinate (A lower-ranking official who reports to the secretary.)
Collocations
Secretary of State
|Secretary of Defense
|Secretary of Education
Themes
government
|politics
|law
Examples
- The Secretary of State will visit France next week.
- She was appointed Secretary of Education by the president.
- The Secretary of Defense announced new policies today.
- As Secretary of Health, he introduced several reforms.
Learner examples
- The Secretary of State met with leaders from Japan.
- He is the Secretary of Education in our country.
- The Secretary of Defense spoke on TV.
Noun
formal
B1
entity
3
Club or committee officer
A person in a club or group who writes meeting notes and sends letters.
Usage pattern:
secretary of [organization]
Synonyms
record keeper (Focuses on the task of maintaining written records.)
Collocations
club secretary
|committee secretary
|union secretary
Themes
organizations
|administration
|relationships
|business
|communication
Examples
- The club's secretary sent out the agenda before the meeting.
- She was elected secretary of the student council.
- As secretary, he keeps detailed minutes of every meeting.
Learner examples
- The secretary writes down what people say in meetings.
- Our class has a secretary to help the teacher.
- He is the new secretary of our sports club.
Grammar
Dictionary form
secretary
IPA
GB/sˈɛkɹɪtˌɛɹi/
US/sˈɛkɹɪtˌɛɹi/
Syllables & stress
sec - ret - ary (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (sec)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: secretary
- Plural: secretaries
Word family
Expressions
Secretary of State
1/sˈɛkɹɪtˌɛɹi əv stˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
Head of foreign affairs department
The top government official in charge of foreign relations in some countries.
Examples
- The Secretary of State held talks with European leaders.
- She became the first woman to serve as Secretary of State.
Secretary-General
1/sˈɛkɹɪtˌɛɹi d͡ʒˈɛnɚəl/
fixed phrase
Leader of an international organization
The top leader of an international group like the United Nations.
Examples
- The Secretary-General called for peace talks.
- He served as Secretary-General for two terms.