Definition

Noun: 1. A high-ranking official in the U.S. government: The Secretary of Defense is the head of the U.S. Department of Defense and is a principal member of the President's Cabinet. This person is responsible for the formulation and execution of defense policy and oversees all agencies of the Department of Defense, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. 2. The official position or office itself: The term can also refer to the role, title, or cabinet position, rather than the individual person holding it.

Usage Examples

• Referring to the person:
  • The Secretary of Defense will brief the President on the situation.
  • She was confirmed by the Senate as the new Secretary of Defense.
• Referring to the position:
  • He was nominated for the role of Secretary of Defense.
  • The Secretary of Defense is a statutory member of the National Security Council.

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is often abbreviated in writing as SecDef.
• It is typically preceded by the definite article "the" when referring to the current officeholder (e.g., ).
• The position is formally created by federal statute and requires confirmation by the United States Senate.

Variants and Related Words

• Defense Secretary: A common, shorter synonym.
• Secretary of Defense (historical): The official title for the head of the Department of Defense since 1949. Prior to that, from 1947-1949, the equivalent position was titled Secretary of War and Secretary of the Navy, who served under the Secretary of Defense.
• Deputy Secretary of Defense: The principal deputy and chief operating officer to the Secretary.
• Department of Defense (DoD or DOD): The federal department headed by the Secretary of Defense.

Synonyms

• Defense Secretary
• SecDef (informal abbreviation)

Notes on Meaning

This term is specific to the United States government. Other countries have similar officials, but they use different titles (e.g., Minister of Defence, Secretary of State for Defence). The definition refers exclusively to the U.S. cabinet position.

Noun

1. the position of the head of the Department of Defense
   • the position of Defense Secretary was created in 1947
2. the person who holds the secretaryship of the Defense Department
   • the first Defense Secretary was James V. Forrestal who was appointed by Truman