/ ˈsekrətri; NAmE -teri/ noun ( pl. -ies ) ( abbr. Sec. )
1.
a person who works in an office, working for another person, dealing with letters and telephone calls, typing, keeping records, arranging meetings with people, etc. :
a legal / medical secretary
Please contact my secretary to make an appointment.
—see also private secretary
2.
an official of a club, society, etc. who deals with writing letters, keeping records, and making business arrangements :
the membership secretary
3.
Secretary = Secretary of State
—see also Home Secretary , Permanent Undersecretary
4.
( US ) the head of a government department, chosen by the President :
Secretary of the Treasury
5.
(in Britain) an assistant of a government minister, an ambassador , etc.
—see also undersecretary
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (originally in the sense person entrusted with a secret ): from late Latin secretarius confidential officer, from Latin secretum secret, neuter of secretus separate, set apart, from the verb secernere , from se- apart + cernere sift.