Secretary vs. Secretory — What's the Difference?

An officer of a society or organization who deals with its records and correspondence.

Pertaining to cells or glands that secrete substances.

A person who assists with the administrative work in an organization or office.

Relating to, or engaged in the production and release of substances.

A person responsible for managing schedules and communication between departments or individuals.

Characterized by the secretion of substances.

A secretary, administrative professional, or personal assistant is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication, or organizational skills. However this role should not be confused with the role of an executive secretary, who differs from a personal assistant.

Involving the process of producing and discharging a substance.

A person employed by an individual or in an office to assist with correspondence, make appointments, and carry out administrative tasks

Denoting the physiological process of substance release.

A person employed to handle correspondence, keep files, and do clerical work for another person or an organization.

Relating to or performing secretion.

An officer who keeps records, takes minutes of the meetings, and answers correspondence, as for a company.

Of, pertaining to, or used in secretion.

An official who presides over an administrative department of state.

That which secretes.

A desk with a small bookcase on top.

Secreting; performing, or connected with, the office of secretion; secernent; as, secretory vessels, nerves.

(obsolete) Someone entrusted with a secret; a confidant.

Of or relating to or producing a secretion;

(obsolete) Someone employed as a scribe for personal correspondence.

A person who keeps records, takes notes and handles general clerical work.

The head of a department of government.

A managerial or leading position in certain non-profit organizations, such as political parties, trade unions, international organizations.

(US) A type of desk, secretary desk; a secretaire.

A secretary bird, a bird of the species Sagittarius serpentarius.

(transitive) To serve as a secretary of.

One who keeps, or is intrusted with, secrets.

A person employed to write orders, letters, dispatches, public or private papers, records, and the like; an official scribe, amanuensis, or writer; one who attends to correspondence, and transacts other business, for an association, a public body, or an individual.

An officer of state whose business is to superintend and manage the affairs of a particular department of government, and who is usually a member of the cabinet or advisory council of the chief executive; as, the secretary of state, who conducts the correspondence and attends to the relations of a government with foreign courts; the secretary of the treasury, who manages the department of finance; the secretary of war, etc.

A piece of furniture, with conveniences for writing and for the arrangement of papers; an escritoire.

The secretary bird.

A person who is head of an administrative department of government

An assistant who handles correspondence and clerical work for a boss or an organization

A person to whom a secret is entrusted

A desk used for writing

An individual employed to handle correspondence and maintain records.

A public official in charge of a government department in some countries.

Absolutely, scheduling appointments and managing calendars are typical responsibilities of a Secretary.

Yes, handling communication between departments is a common task for Secretaries.

Yes, Secretaries can work in various settings, including government, corporations, or legal firms.

No, the term Secretory is strictly related to the biological secretion of substances and implies no organizational tasks.

Yes, being a Secretary is a professional role, primarily involving administrative and organizational tasks.

Yes, managing files and documents is typically a part of a Secretary’s role in an organization.

Yes, a Secretary typically handles administrative tasks such as managing correspondence and keeping records.

Yes, Secretory specifically refers to the biological processes of cells or glands producing and releasing substances.

No, Secretory is strictly related to biological contexts, referring to the secretion of substances, with no administrative implications.

No, Secretory is not associated with any profession; it's a descriptive term used in biology.

Yes, Secretory refers to the process of producing and releasing substances in various organisms, not just humans.

Yes, Secretory is often used to describe glands that produce and release substances, like secretory glands.

Yes, Secretory can describe the release of enzymes by cells or glands in the body.

Absolutely, maintaining confidentiality is a crucial aspect of a Secretary’s responsibilities.

Yes, organizing events can also fall under the responsibilities of a Secretary in some settings.