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secretarius

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word secretarius

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1032, a charter
Ultimate origin
Latin sēcrētus
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin secretus
English secret
French secret
Italian segreto
Latin secretarius
English secretary
French secrétaire
Italian segretario

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [seː.kreːˈtaː.ri.ʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [se.kreˈtaː.ri.us][1]

Forms

sēcrētārius m (genitive sēcrētāriī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Medieval Latin sēcrētus (“secret, private”) + -ārius, first a noun use of an adjective meaning “private, secret”.[1][2][3] Compare Late Latin sēcrētārium (“council chamber”).[2] It is the source of English secretary.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first dated source is a charter of 1032;[3] Wiktionary dates the word to the 11th century.[1]

Semantic evolution

Niermeyer records four senses: an intimate counsellor, a secretary or confidential clerk, a forest official, and a sacristan.[4] The sacristan who kept the vestments and vessels of a church appears in Lanfranc's Constitutions,[5] and Du Cange cites many monastic customaries for this office.[6] The secretary of a king or pope, an agent or ambassador, and even the prophets as secretaries of God are British medieval uses;[5] Du Cange adds the secretary of the Dauphin's court in 1340 and the forest officers of Anjou.[6] As an adjective it meant hidden or secret.[6][5][3]

Timeline

  • 1032 – A charter is Köbler's first dated source.[3]
  • Medieval Latin – Lanfranc's Constitutions use it of the sacristan.[5]
  • 1340 – An ordinance of Humbert II, Dauphin, creates a secretary for his secret business.[6]
  • late 14th century – Borrowed into English as secretary, “person entrusted with secrets”.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin) a privy counsellor.[4][1]
  2. (Medieval Latin) a secretary, confidential clerk.[4][5][1]
  3. (Medieval Latin) a forest official.[4][6]
  4. (Medieval Latin) a sacristan.[4][5][6]

Adjective

  1. (Medieval Latin) hidden, secret.[5][6][3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d e Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  6. ^ a b c d e f g du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre

Borrowed into

Cite this entry

“Secretarius.” Etymologically, 23 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/secretarius. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

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