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.
In an October 2024 briefing to the UN Security Council, the secretary-general’s Western Sahara envoy, Staffan de Mistura, issued an unexpected recommendation to resolve the 50-year conflict: partition. Hannah Rae Armstrong, Foreign Affairs, 4 Mar. 2025 The hefty tariffs imposed by the Trump administration could contribute to a crash in the global economy, similar to the Great Depression of the 1930s, said Andrew Wilson, deputy secretary-general of the International Chamber of Commerce, according to the Wall Street Journal. Lucy Bayly, CNN, 4 Mar. 2025 The Turkish foreign minister, the NATO secretary-general and the presidents of the European Commission and European Council were also in attendance. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 3 Mar. 2025 Leaders from Germany, France, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Finland, Sweden, Czechia and Romania, as well as the NATO secretary-general and the presidents of the European Commission and European Council, traveled to London to take part in Sunday's summit. David Brennan, ABC News, 2 Mar. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Secretary-general.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secretary-general. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

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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