Phrase guide

Secretary of State

noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any of several senior government positions whose function varies from nation to nation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The chief clerk of a U.S. state.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Alternative form of Secretary of State.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, alternative

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

the position of the head of the State Department

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the position of Secretary of State was established in 1789

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: secretaryship

5

noun

Meaning 5

a government minister for foreign relations

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: foreign minister

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: minister, government minister

6

noun

Meaning 6

the person who holds the secretaryship of the Department of State

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the first Secretary of State was Thomas Jefferson

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: secretary

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

33 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: պետքարտուղար (petkʻartuġar) — any of several senior government positions
  • Chinese Mandarin: 國務卿 /国务卿 (guówùqīng) — any of several senior government positions
  • Chinese Mandarin: 國務大臣 /国务大臣 (guówù dàchén) — any of several senior government positions
  • Dutch: minister van Buitenlandse Zaken — any of several senior government positions
  • Finnish: valtiosihteeri — any of several senior government positions
  • Finnish: ulkoministeri (US Secr. of St.) — any of several senior government positions
  • French: secrétaire d'État — any of several senior government positions
  • Georgian: სახელმწიფო მდივანი (saxelmc̣ipo mdivani) — any of several senior government positions
  • Georgian: საგარეო საქმეთა მინისტრი (sagareo sakmeta minisṭri) — any of several senior government positions
  • German: Staatssekretär — any of several senior government positions
  • German: Staatssekretärin — any of several senior government positions
  • Hungarian: külügyminiszter — any of several senior government positions
  • Hungarian: államtitkár — any of several senior government positions
  • Hungarian: miniszter — any of several senior government positions
  • Italian: segretario di Stato — any of several senior government positions
  • Italian: segretaria di Stato — any of several senior government positions
  • Japanese: 国務長官 (kokumuchōkan) — any of several senior government positions
  • Khmer: រដ្ឋលេខាធិការ (roattha’leekhaathi’kaa) — any of several senior government positions
  • Norwegian Bokmål: utenriksminister — any of several senior government positions
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: utanriksminister — any of several senior government positions
  • Russian: госуда́рственный секрета́рь (gosudárstvennyj sekretárʹ) — any of several senior government positions
  • Russian: госсекрета́рь (gossekretárʹ) — any of several senior government positions
  • Russian: мини́стр иностра́нных дел (minístr inostránnyx del) — any of several senior government positions
  • Spanish: Secretario de Estado — any of several senior government positions
  • Spanish: Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores — any of several senior government positions
  • Swedish: utrikesminister — any of several senior government positions
  • Vietnamese: ngoại trưởng — any of several senior government positions
  • Vietnamese: bộ trưởng ngoại giao — any of several senior government positions
  • Vietnamese: quốc vụ khanh — any of several senior government positions
  • Chinese Mandarin: 州務卿 /州务卿 (zhōuwùqīng) — chief clerk of a U.S. state
  • Vietnamese: bang vụ khanh — chief clerk of a U.S. state
  • Vietnamese: tổng thư ký tiểu bang — chief clerk of a U.S. state
  • Vietnamese: tổng thư ký bang — chief clerk of a U.S. state