Definition of: secretary

(sek′rə·ter′ē) noun plural ·tar·ies
1. A person employed to deal with correspondence, keep records, and handle clerical business for a person, business, committee, or organization.
2. An executive officer presiding over and managing a department of government.
3. A writing desk with a bookcase or cabinet with pigeonholes on top.
—under–secretary In a government department, the official who ranks next below the secretary. [<Med. L secretarius <L secretum a secret, neut. of secretus SECRET]
—sec′re·tar′i·al (-târ′ē·əl) adjective