foreign secretary: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1formal, political, journalistic
Quick answer
What does “foreign secretary” mean?
The senior government minister responsible for a country's foreign affairs and international relations.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The senior government minister responsible for a country's foreign affairs and international relations.
The cabinet-level official who heads the foreign ministry, represents the country in diplomatic matters, and formulates foreign policy. In the UK, this is the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'Foreign Secretary' is the standard title. In the US, the equivalent position is called 'Secretary of State'. The UK term is used in Commonwealth countries like Australia and Canada, while the US term is used in the Philippines.
Connotations
UK term carries historical weight from the British Empire and Commonwealth. US term emphasizes the federal structure where states have their own affairs.
Frequency
'Foreign Secretary' appears frequently in UK media and political discourse. 'Secretary of State' dominates US contexts. International media may use both depending on the country being discussed.
Grammar
How to Use “foreign secretary” in a Sentence
The Foreign Secretary + verb (announced, met, stated)Meeting between + Foreign Secretary + and + counterpartAppointment of + name + as Foreign SecretaryVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “foreign secretary” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The Prime Minister may foreign-secretary their way through diplomatic crises (informal, rare)
- He was foreign-secretaried into the role (colloquial)
American English
- The President will secretary-of-state the negotiations (informal)
- She got secretaried into handling foreign policy (colloquial)
adverb
British English
- He spoke foreign-secretary-ishly about the treaty
- She acted rather foreign-secretary-like
American English
- They negotiated secretary-of-state-fully
- He responded secretary-of-state-style
adjective
British English
- foreign-secretary-level talks
- a foreign-secretary-style approach
American English
- secretary-of-state-level meeting
- secretary-of-state-like diplomacy
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare except in discussions about government contracts or international trade agreements involving ministerial approval.
Academic
Used in political science, international relations, and history papers discussing government structures.
Everyday
Mainly encountered in news reports about international diplomacy or political appointments.
Technical
Specific to political and governmental terminology, with precise constitutional definitions.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “foreign secretary”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “foreign secretary”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “foreign secretary”
- Using lowercase when referring to specific office holders
- Confusing with 'Home Secretary' (UK interior minister)
- Using US term 'Secretary of State' for UK context
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, in the UK system, 'Foreign Secretary' is equivalent to 'Secretary of State' in the US system. Both are top diplomats but the titles differ by country.
The Foreign Secretary is appointed by the Prime Minister and is usually a senior member of the governing party with experience in foreign affairs.
When referring to the specific office holder in the UK, it should be capitalized: 'the Foreign Secretary announced...'. When used generically, lowercase may be acceptable: 'a foreign secretary from another country'.
The Foreign Secretary handles international relations and diplomacy, while the Home Secretary (UK) or Secretary of Homeland Security (US) handles domestic security, immigration, and internal affairs.
The senior government minister responsible for a country's foreign affairs and international relations.
Foreign secretary is usually formal, political, journalistic in register.
Foreign secretary: in British English it is pronounced /ˌfɒr.ən ˈsek.rə.tər.i/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌfɔːr.ən ˈsek.rə.ter.i/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “at the foreign secretary's discretion”
- “in the foreign secretary's purview”
- “across the foreign secretary's desk”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: FOREIGN affairs + SECRETARY of state = the secretary who handles foreign matters.
Conceptual Metaphor
NATION AS A HOUSEHOLD (the foreign secretary manages external relationships like a household manager handles outside contacts)
Practice
Quiz
Which country uses the title 'Foreign Secretary' for its top diplomat?