secretary
/ˈsek.rə.tər.i/ (bre, ipa) · [sˈɛkrətˌɛri] /ˈsek.rə.ter.i/ (ame, ipa) · [sˈɛkrətˌɛri] /ˈse-krə-ˌter-ē ˈse-kə-ˌter- in rapid speech also ˈsek-ˌter- especially British ˈse-k(r)ə-trē/ (ame, mw)
secretary — 名詞
- secretarysingular
- secretariesplural
1. someone whose job is to manage letters and emails, answer phone calls, schedule
祕書
辦公室處理文書的人員
someone whose job is to manage letters and emails, answer phone calls, schedule meetings, and carry out other clerical tasks for a manager or an organization
The new secretary organizes all of Dr. Okafor's patient appointments and travel arrangements.
新的祕書幫 Dr. Okafor 安排所有病患約診和出差行程。
collocation: secretary + organizes + appointments
Lara asked her secretary to type the letter and send it to the client before noon.
Lara 要她的祕書打好信件，在中午前寄給客戶。
pattern: ask + secretary + to-infinitive
Our office secretary logs every phone call and takes messages when the manager is away.
我們辦公室的祕書會記錄每一通來電，在主管外出時留下訊息。
Ritu found a job as a legal secretary at a firm near the central station.
Ritu 在中央車站附近的一家律師事務所找到法律祕書的工作。
Each morning the secretary sorts the mail for the department's three senior staff members.
每天早上，祕書會為部門的三位資深員工分類郵件。
- administrative assistant
a more modern and formal term, often preferred in corporate settings for broader office-management duties
- assistant
broader in meaning; may include personal tasks and direct project support
- clerk
typically focuses on filing, data entry, and routine paperwork rather than correspondence or scheduling
文法句型
adjective + secretary (legal secretary, executive secretary)
possessive + secretary (her secretary, the manager's secretary)
用法筆記
Frequently paired with an adjective that specifies the work context, such as legal secretary, medical secretary, or executive secretary. The role is distinct from a receptionist, who primarily greets visitors, or a personal assistant, who may handle personal errands.
常見錯誤
2. an officer within a club, society, or committee who records what happens at meet
文書
負責會議記錄的社團幹部
an officer within a club, society, or committee who records what happens at meetings, sends official messages to members, and maintains the group's documents
The tennis club secretary sends out meeting reminders to all forty members.
網球俱樂部的文書會寄送開會通知給所有四十位會員。
collocation: club secretary / committee secretary / society secretary
Emre was elected secretary of the student council and takes notes at every meeting.
Emre 被選為學生會的文書，每次開會都由他做會議記錄。
pattern: elected secretary of [organization]
The secretary read the minutes from last month's meeting before the discussion began.
在討論開始前，文書宣讀了上個月的會議記錄。
Anyone who wants to join the hiking group should contact the secretary by email.
想加入登山社的人可以用電子郵件聯絡文書。
- recording secretary
specifies the officer who writes the minutes of meetings
- clerk
used in some formal committees (e.g., clerk of the committee), though less common for volunteer groups
文法句型
secretary of [organization]
secretary to [committee]
[club/society] secretary
用法筆記
The secretary of a club or committee is usually an elected or appointed officer among the group's members. The role is often paired with a treasurer or chairperson in the officer lineup.
3. a senior official who has overall responsibility for managing a large organizati
祕書長；主秘
組織的高層管理官員
a senior official who has overall responsibility for managing a large organization, such as an international body, a government agency, or a major institution
The UN Secretary-General called for an emergency meeting of world leaders.
聯合國祕書長呼籲各國領袖召開緊急會議。
collocation: Secretary-General (capitalized as a title)
Christopher serves as the secretary of the regional health authority, overseeing five hospitals.
Christopher 擔任地區衛生局的主任祕書，負責管理五家醫院。
The board of directors appointed a new company secretary to handle shareholder communications.
董事會任命了一位新的公司祕書來處理股東溝通事宜。
As secretary of the charity, Ilan manages a team of twenty staff across three offices.
作為慈善機構的主任祕書，Ilan 管理著二十名員工和三個辦公室。
- administrator
more generic; does not imply the record-keeping or correspondence duties of a secretary
- director
more common in business contexts, though usually at a slightly higher level
- executive officer
formal term for a senior manager in an organization
文法句型
Secretary-General of [organization]
secretary of [institution/authority]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 — in this role the person is a senior administrator or executive, not a support worker. The company secretary in many jurisdictions is a legally required officer with duties to shareholders and regulators.
常見錯誤
4. (in the United Kingdom) the member of the government who is in charge of a major
大臣
英國政府部門首長
(in the United Kingdom) the member of the government who is in charge of a major government department, such as the Foreign Office or the Home Office
The Foreign Secretary travelled to Geneva for trade talks with European leaders.
英國外交大臣前往日內瓦與歐洲領袖進行貿易談判。
capitalized title: Foreign Secretary / Home Secretary / Defence Secretary
In the UK the Health Secretary is responsible for the National Health Service.
在英國，衛生大臣負責監督國民健康服務體系。
The Education Secretary announced new funding for primary schools across England.
教育大臣宣布了英格蘭各地小學的新補助方案。
A new Home Secretary was appointed after the previous minister resigned from the post.
前任大臣辭職後，新任內政大臣隨即獲得任命。
- minister
the more general term for a member of government heading a department; used in most countries
- cabinet minister
specifies that the person sits in the cabinet
- secretary of state
the full formal title in the UK system
文法句型
the [Department] Secretary (UK)
Secretary of State for [Department]
用法筆記
The full official title is Secretary of State for [Department], but in news and everyday use the short form [Department] Secretary is common (e.g. Health Secretary, Defence Secretary). Always capitalized as part of a title.
常見錯誤
5. (in the United States) a member of the President's cabinet who leads a federal g
部長
美國總統任命的政府首長
(in the United States) a member of the President's cabinet who leads a federal government department, for example the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of the Treasury
The Secretary of Defense testified before Congress about the military budget.
美國國防部長在國會就軍事預算作證。
capitalized title: Secretary of Defense / Secretary of State / Secretary of the Treasury
President Kim nominated Liang to serve as the next Secretary of Energy.
Kim 總統提名 Liang 擔任下一任能源部長。
The US Secretary of the Treasury meets regularly with the Federal Reserve chair.
美國財政部長定期與聯準會主席會面。
Each cabinet secretary advises the president on matters within their department's area.
每位內閣部長都會就其部門事務向總統提供建議。
- cabinet secretary
generic term for a US department head who sits in the cabinet
- department head
more generic, used in non-governmental contexts too
- minister
not used in US federal government but used internationally for equivalent roles
文法句型
Secretary of [Department] (US system)
用法筆記
Unlike the UK system where the title is '[Department] Secretary', the US form is 'Secretary of [Department]'. The US Secretary of State handles foreign affairs and is equivalent to a foreign minister in other countries. Not to be confused with sense 4.
常見錯誤
6. a piece of furniture that combines a writing surface, often a drop-down flap, wi
寫字檯；書桌
附書架的書寫用家具
a piece of furniture that combines a writing surface, often a drop-down flap, with a set of drawers, cabinets, or shelves above for storing books and papers
Amihan bought an antique secretary with a drop-down writing surface and glass shelves on top.
Amihan 買了一張附下拉式書寫板的古董寫字檯，上方還有玻璃層架。
description: drop-down flap + bookcase top section
The old secretary in the study has a locked drawer where Grandfather kept letters.
書房裡的老式寫字檯有一個上鎖的抽屜，祖父以前把信放在裡面。
Romi found a Victorian secretary at the flea market for only two hundred dollars.
Romi 在跳蚤市場找到一張維多利亞時代的寫字檯，只花了兩百美元。
The wooden secretary stands against the wall with its writing flap folded up.
那張木製寫字檯靠牆放著，書寫板是摺疊收起的狀態。
- escritoire
a French-derived term for a similar writing desk, often more ornate
- secretary desk
the fuller two-word name for this piece of furniture
- bureau
a broader term that can include writing desks, but also refers to chests of drawers
用法筆記
Also called a secretary desk or escritoire. This meaning is uncommon in everyday conversation and appears mostly in discussions of antique furniture. You may also see the French term 'secrétaire' used in furniture catalogues.