secretary

government official

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July 13, 2026

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The term "secretary" can refer to an official who keeps records, such as a city secretary, or a high-ranking government official. In the U.S. federal government, secretaries head executive departments. For example, the Secretary of State is the chief diplomat, managing foreign affairs and advising the president on international policy. The Secretary of Health and Human Services oversees public health programs and well-being. These cabinet-level positions are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.12

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public administration
Early systems
…within these bodies the monarchs’ secretaries, initially given low status within a council, emerged as perhaps the first professional civil servants in Europe in the modern sense. The proximity of the secretaries to the monarch gave them more knowledge of royal intentions, and their relative permanence gave them greater expertise…
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…within these bodies the monarchs’ secretaries, initially given low status within a council, emerged as perhaps the first professional civil servants in Europe in the modern sense. The proximity of the secretaries to the monarch gave them more knowledge of royal intentions, and their relative permanence gave them greater expertise…
Read More