Where does “secretary” come from?
Secretary comes from Latin secretarius, formed from Latin secerno meaning to separate or distinguish, combined with the Latin agent suffix -arius, ultimately deriving from Proto-Indo-European roots for separation and self.
secretary (English): Someone entrusted with a secret; a confidant; A...
Definitions
- Someone entrusted with a secret; a confidant; A...
Ancestry of “secretary”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medieval Latin | secretarius | one entrusted with secrets; secretary; a privy... |
| 2 | Latin | sēcrētus | put apart, sundered, severed, separated, having been separated |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ἀγωγός | leading, guiding; guide, escort; leading to |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ἄγω | to lead, fetch, bring along (a living creature), take with |
| 5 | Proto-Hellenic | ágō | to lead, to guide |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂éǵeti | to be driving |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eǵ- | to drive |