an administrative unit responsible for maintaining records and other secretarial duties; especially for international organizations
"The United Nations secretariat handles all official documentation and supports the work of the General Assembly."
thoroughbred that won the triple crown in 1973
"Secretariat remains the most celebrated horse in history after winning the Triple Crown in 1973."
The office or department of a government secretary.
"The new secretariat will handle all diplomatic correspondence between the nations in the region."
In plain English: A secretariat is an office where people work to handle the paperwork and meetings for a big group of leaders.
"The football association sent its request directly to the secretariat for approval."
Usage: A secretariat refers to an administrative body that supports the work of a specific organization, such as the UN Secretariat assisting its member states. Use this term when describing the collective staff and offices rather than referring to individual employees or general clerical tasks.
The word secretariat comes from the French term secrétariat, which originally referred to an office or department headed by a secretary. It entered English with this same meaning of a place where official records are kept and correspondence is managed.