secretary

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A person employed to handle correspondence, keep files, and do clerical work for another person or an organization.
2. n. An officer who keeps records, takes minutes of the meetings, and answers correspondence, as for a company.
3. n. An official who presides over an administrative department of state.
4. n. A desk with a small bookcase on top.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. One who is intrusted with private or secret matters; a confidential officer or attendant; a confidant.
2. n. A person who conducts correspondence, keeps minutes, etc., for another or others, as for an individual, a corporation, a society, or a committee, and who is charged with the general conduct of the business arising out of or requiring such correspondence, or the making of such records, etc.: as, a private secretary. Abbreviated Sec., sec.
3. n. An officer of state who is charged with the superintendence and management of a particular department of government. In the British government there are five secretaries of state—namely, those for the home, foreign, colonial, war, and Indian departments. The Secretary of State for the Home Department has charge of the privy signet office, and is responsible for the internal administration of justice, the maintenance of peace in the country, the supervision of prisons, police, sanitary affairs, etc. The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs conducts all correspondence with foreign states, negotiates treaties, appoints ambassadors, etc. The Colonial Secretary performs for the colonial dependencies similar functions to those of the Home Secretary for the United Kingdom. The Secretary of State for War, assisted by the commander-in-chief, has the entire control of the army; the office dates from 1855, when the office of Secretary at War was merged into it. The Secretary for India governs the affairs of that country with the assistance of a council. Each secretary of state is assisted by two under-secretaries, one permanent and the other connected with the administration. The Chief Secretary for Ireland is not a secretary of state, though his office entails the performance of duties similar to those performed by the secretaries of state.
4. n. A piece of furniture comprising a table or shelf for writing, and drawers, and pigeonholes for the keeping of papers: usually a high cabinet-shaped piece, as distinguished from a writing-table or desk.
5. n. In printing, a kind of script type in imitation of an engrossing-hand.
6. n. The secretary-bird or crane-vulture, Serpentarius secretarius.
7. Of a secretary; clerkly: noting a style of handwriting such as is used in engrossing.
8. Knowing secrets; confidential; able to keep a secret.

Wiktionary

1. n. obsolete Someone entrusted with a secret; a confidant.
2. n. A person who keeps records, takes notes and handles general clerical work.
3. n. often capitalized The head of a department of government.
4. n. A managerial or leading position in certain non-profit organizations, such as political parties, trade unions, international organizations.
5. n. US A type of desk; a secretaire.
6. n. A species of bird; Sagittarius serpentarius.
7. v. transitive To serve as a secretary of.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. rare One who keeps, or is intrusted with, secrets.
2. n. 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.
3. n. 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
4. n. A piece of furniture, with conveniences for writing and for the arrangement of papers; an escritoire.
5. n. (Zoöl.) The secretary bird.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a person who is head of an administrative department of government
2. n. an assistant who handles correspondence and clerical work for a boss or an organization
3. n. a desk used for writing
4. n. a person to whom a secret is entrusted