■ noun ( plural secretaries )
1》 a person employed to assist with correspondence, keep records, etc.
2》 an official of a society or other organization who conducts its correspondence and keeps its records.
3》 the principal assistant of a UK government minister or ambassador.
Derivatives
secretarial adjective
~ship noun
Origin
ME (orig. in the sense 'person entrusted with a secret'): from late L. secretarius 'confidential officer', from L. secretum 'a secret', neut. of secretus (see secret ).