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.
Hisham El-Leithy, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, told Ahram that further excavation and research is needed in order to definitively confirm the connection. — Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, in June urged the sector to fully disclose its energy, water and land use and commit to using renewable power. — Olivia Raimonde, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2026 The president is reportedly considering pushing Infantino to become the next United Nations secretary-general when António Guterres’ term expires in December. — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026 The United Nations also begins to choose its next secretary-general. — Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 29 July 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 26 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

secretary-general

noun
plural secretaries-general
: a principal officer of administration
secretary-general of the United Nations
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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