secretary-general

noun

sec·​re·​tary-gen·​er·​al ˈse-krə-ˌter-ē-ˈjen-rəl How to pronounce secretary-general (audio)
-ˈje-nə-rəl
plural secretaries-general
: a principal administrative officer
secretary-general of the United Nations

Examples of secretary-general in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
By tradition, the job of secretary-general rotates by region, and this is Latin America’s turn. — ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026 The move was expected after Palestinian factions across the political spectrum met in Cairo for discussions on delaying the vote, Islamic Jihad deputy secretary-general Mohammed al-Hindi told the Associated Press earlier this week. — Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026 Four days later, Pakistan appointed the first secretary-general to the three-country arrangement – officially called the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement. — John Calabrese, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2026 Typically, a secretary-general ends up serving two five-year terms. — The Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 22 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for secretary-general

Word History

First Known Use

1701, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of secretary-general was in 1701

Rhymes for secretary-general

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Browse Nearby Words

secretary bird
secretary-general
secretary hand
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Cite this Entry

“Secretary-general.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secretary-general. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

secretary-general

noun
plural secretaries-general
: a principal officer of administration
secretary-general of the United Nations
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