different between secretive vs secretary

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English secretife, equivalent to secret +? -ive.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?si?k??t?v/

Adjective

secretive (comparative more secretive, superlative most secretive)

1. Having an inclination to secrecy

Synonyms

• furtive
• sly
• See also Thesaurus:covert

Translations

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /s??k?i?t?v/

Adjective

secretive (not comparable)

1. Relating to secretion

Anagrams

• receivest, resective

Italian

Adjective

secretive

1. feminine plural of secretivo

Anagrams

• riceveste

English

Alternative forms

• secretarie (obsolete)

Etymology

From Medieval Latin secr?t?rius (“one entrusted with secrets”), from Latin secr?tus (“private, secret”), past participle of secernere (“to separate, set apart”), from se- (“apart”) + cernere (“to separate”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?s?k.???t?.?i/, /?s?k.??.t?i/
• (General American) enPR: s?k'r?t?r?, IPA^(key): /?s?k???t??i/, [?s?k???t???i]

Noun

secretary (plural secretaries)

1. (obsolete) Someone entrusted with a secret; a confidant.
3. A person who keeps records, takes notes and handles general clerical work.

5. (often capitalized) The head of a department of government.
7. A managerial or leading position in certain non-profit organizations, such as political parties, trade unions, international organizations.

9. (US) A type of desk, secretary desk; a secretaire.
11. A secretary bird, a bird of the species Sagittarius serpentarius.

Derived terms

• secretarial
• secretary bird
• secretary desk
• secretaryess

Related terms

• secret
• secretion
• secretive
• secretory
• secretariat

Translations

Verb

secretary (third-person singular simple present secretaries, present participle secretarying, simple past and past participle secretaried)

1. (transitive) To serve as a secretary of.

Quotations

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:secretary.

Further reading

• secretary in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• secretary in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• secretary at OneLook Dictionary Search