undersecretary

/ ˌʌndəˈsɛkrətrɪ /

noun

1. in Britain
   1. any of various senior civil servants in certain government departments
   2. short for undersecretary of state: any of various high officials subordinate only to the minister in charge of a department
2. (in the US) a high government official subordinate only to the secretary in charge of a department

Derived Forms

• ˌunderˈsecretaryˌship, noun

Example Sentences

While in the past there was some direct overlap in the roles, today the undersecretary oversees a much broader portfolio of science and innovation offices.

From Science Magazine

Secretary Denis McDonough acted hours after a copy of a memo from a VA assistant undersecretary requesting the photo’s removal from all VA health facilities was shared on social media.

From Seattle Times

He is currently the undersecretary of state for management.

From Seattle Times

When Brian A. Nichols, undersecretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, visited El Salvador in October, he acknowledged that there could be questions about the “legality and legitimacy” of the pending election.

From Los Angeles Times

Treasury officials, including Brian Nelson, the department’s undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, have been traveling to the southern border this year to work with local authorities on quelling drug trafficking through sanctions efforts.

From Seattle Times