secretary
2
7.2
- noun
- /ˈsɛkrəˌtɛri/
- Archaic
- She placed her laptop on the elegant secretary, which had ornate carvings and a beautiful finish.
Examples
-
I am slipping into another time, another place, seeing the elegantly arched pigeonholes of our grandmother's walnut secretary.
Fiction book (1996) -
Many of them rest in a Civil War-era secretary that I practically stole at an estate sale.
Blog text (6) -
I followed her into the study where she had opened the doors of the secretary desk.
Fiction book (1997) -
There's a closet behind that secretary.
-
The typewriter sits on the secretary, a piece of paper rolled halfway through the carriage.
Fiction book (1991) -
On her next visit to the old mansion, she found the second keyhole in her grandfather's old secretary desk.
Fiction book (2000) -
There is a lumpy bed with a worn yellow coverlet, an old secretary table, and a wooden luggage stand.
Fiction book (1991) -
The writer carefully opened the drawer of his antique secretary to retrieve a fresh sheet of paper.
-
In the corner of the room, an old secretary held cherished letters and journals from years past.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A piece of furniture with a flat surface for writing or working
5
2.3
A desk with a flat surface and small drawers for writing by hand
1
9.9
A small writing desk with drawers for letters and papers
1
3.3
A desk with a flat top used for writing and often with drawers
1
9.9
A small desk with a top that folds down and drawers for papers
1
9.9
A small decorative desk with a sloping top and drawers used for writing
Compounds
- Formal
504
3.7
A government leader who handles a country's relations with other countries
- Formal
151
4.6
The person in the United States government who is in charge of the military and advises the President
- Formal
88
3.9
The main official who leads an international organisation like the United Nations
- Formal
69
4.1
A senior government official who manages a country's money and economy
- Formal
18
5.3
A government official who leads a department that manages a nation's money and financial policy
18
4.2
A government official who leads the United States Department of Commerce
- Formal
17
3.9
A government official in charge of national education policy and schools
16
3.7
A government leader who runs the Department of Energy and plans how the country uses energy
- Formal
16
4.0
The official who leads the United States Department of Labor and advises the president
- Archaic
15
6.0
Leader of the United States Navy department before 1947 in charge of its operations
- Formal
14
4.1
The head of the United States Department of Education who oversees national education policy
- Archaic
13
8.6
Person in charge of the United States Army until 1947 when the job moved to the Secretary of Defense
- Formal
13
3.5
A government official who leads the department that deals with jobs and work rules
- Formal
12
4.6
A government official who leads the United States department that promotes trade and industry
- Formal
10
4.6
A person who leads the United States Department of Energy and advises the president on energy and nuclear safety
10
3.7
A person who leads the United States department that runs public health and social services programs
- Formal
10
5.1
A US government official who manages and protects federal lands and resources
- Formal
9
4.6
A person who leads the United States government department that plans and runs the country's transport
- Formal
9
3.2
A senior government minister who leads a country's foreign relations
- Formal
8
6.1
A government official in the US who leads the Department of the Interior and manages public lands and natural resources
- Formal
8
4.4
A government official in charge of the country's farming policy
- Formal
8
4.6
A United States government official who leads the Department of Transportation and makes national transport rules
- Literature
7
4.6
A senior government minister who leads the Home Office and handles security, law and immigration
6
7.3
An important government official in charge of a department who coordinates other departments
- Formal
5
3.9
A government minister who leads the department that makes farming policy
- Formal
5
4.1
The head of the United States department that manages national money and financial policy
5
5.2
A person who arranges and answers social invitations and plans events and appointments
4
5.0
The head of the United States government department for housing and cities
- Formal
4
3.6
A senior government official who leads a national education department and sets policy
- Formal
3
6.3
The government leader of the United States Department of the Navy before 1947
3
4.9
The person who leads the United States government department that helps people who used to be in the military
- Formal
2
8.9
A government official who led the United States Department of War before 1947
1
7.7
A person who led the United States government department for health and education from 1953 to 1979
- South African
1
8.4
A large African bird with long legs and feathers on its head that walks to hunt snakes and small animals
A senior British minister who leads the Home Office and deals with security, immigration, and law and order
1
8.4
A person who led the United States department that handled business and worker affairs before 1913
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Secretary for the furniture comes from the same Latin root secret meaning 'secret' or 'private'. The writing desk was used to store and lock away private papers, so people called that desk a 'secretary' because it kept secret documents safe.