Secretary

Secretary
Secretary Sec"re*ta*ry, n.; pl. {Secretaries}. [F. secr['e]taire (cf. Pr. secretari, Sp. & Pg. secretario, It. secretario, segretario) LL. secretarius, originally, a confidant, one intrusted with secrets, from L. secretum a secret. See {Secret}, a. & n.] 1. One who keeps, or is intrusted with, secrets. [R.] [1913 Webster]

2. A person employed to write orders, letters, dispatches, public or private papers, records, and the like; an official scribe, amanuensis, or writer; one who attends to correspondence, and transacts other business, for an association, a public body, or an individual. [1913 Webster]

That which is most of all profitable is acquaintance with the secretaries, and employed men of ambassadors. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]

3. An officer of state whose business is to superintend and manage the affairs of a particular department of government, and who is usually a member of the cabinet or advisory council of the chief executive; as, the secretary of state, who conducts the correspondence and attends to the relations of a government with foreign courts; the secretary of the treasury, who manages the department of finance; the secretary of war, etc. [1913 Webster]

4. A piece of furniture, with conveniences for writing and for the arrangement of papers; an escritoire. [1913 Webster]

5. (Zo["o]l.) The secretary bird. [1913 Webster]

{Secretary bird}. [So called in allusion to the tufts of feathers at the back of its head, which were fancifully thought to resemble pens stuck behind the ear.] (Zo["o]l.) A large long-legged raptorial bird ({Gypogeranus serpentarius}), native of South Africa, but now naturalized in the West Indies and some other tropical countries. It has a powerful hooked beak, a crest of long feathers, and a long tail. It feeds upon reptiles of various kinds, and is much prized on account of its habit of killing and devouring snakes of all kinds. Called also {serpent eater}. [1913 Webster]

Syn: See the Note under {Clerk}, n., 4. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • secretary — sec‧re‧ta‧ry [ˈsekrtri ǁ teri] noun secretaries PLURALFORM [countable] JOBS 1. someone who works in an office helping to organize the work, answering the telephone, arranging meetings etc: • His personal secretary (= one working for only him )… …   Financial and business terms

  • Secretary — Título La secretaria Ficha técnica Dirección Steven Shainberg Producción Andrew Fierberg Amy Hobby Steven Shainberg …   Wikipedia Español

  • secretary — sec·re·tary n pl tar·ies often cap 1: an officer of a business concern who may keep records of directors and stockholders meetings and of stock ownership and transfer and help supervise the company s interests 2: a government officer who… …   Law dictionary

  • Secretary —   [ sekrətri] der, /...ries, in England im 16. Jahrhundert Bezeichnung des leitenden Ministers, später allgemein Minister Titel. Die wichtigsten Kabinettsmitglieder heißen Secretary of State. In den USA ist »Secretary of State« nur für den… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Secretary — Secretary, MD U.S. town in Maryland Population (2000): 503 Housing Units (2000): 218 Land area (2000): 0.258731 sq. miles (0.670109 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.258731 sq. miles (0.670109 sq …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Secretary, MD — U.S. town in Maryland Population (2000): 503 Housing Units (2000): 218 Land area (2000): 0.258731 sq. miles (0.670109 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.258731 sq. miles (0.670109 sq. km) FIPS… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • secretary — [n1] office worker assistant, clerk, executive secretary, receptionist, typist, word processor; concept 348 secretary [n2] desk bureau, davenport, escritoire, secretaire, writing desk, writing table; concept 443 …   New thesaurus

  • secretary — (n.) late 14c., person entrusted with secrets, from M.L. secretarius clerk, notary, confidential officer, confidant, from L. secretum a secret (see SECRET (Cf. secret)). Meaning person who keeps records, write letters, etc., originally for a king …   Etymology dictionary

  • secretary — should be pronounced as four syllables with the first r fully articulated, not as if it were spelt seketerry or sekretry …   Modern English usage

  • secretary — ► NOUN (pl. 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 …   English terms dictionary

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