Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - secretary of state

(Secretaries of State) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. In the United States, the Secretary of State is the head of the government department which deals with foreign affairs. N-COUNT: usu the N in sing 2. In Britain, the Secretary of State for a particular government department is the head of that department. ...the Secretary of State for Education. N-COUNT: usu the N in sing