Meanings
plural secret chancellors
- historicalIn the medieval Kingdom of Hungary, originally the chief priest of the royal chapel, who bore the title of count (ispán); later the head of a separate chancellery concerned with foreign diplomacy.
Vetesi was the king’s experienced diplomat, as well as former secret chancellor.
2021, Alexandru Simon, In the World of Vlad: The Lives and Times of a Warlord, page 1572 more examples
The ruler would more and more often entrust the secret chancellor with diplomatic missions abroad.
2000, András Gábor, Gábor Máthé, The Hungarian State: Thousand Years in Europe, page 36He first tried to establish one at Óbuda in 1395 under the direction of his secret chancellor, the provost, Luke Szántói.
2001, Pál Engel, translated by Tamás Pálosfalvi, edited by Andrew Ayton, The Realm of St Stephen: A History of Medieval Hungary, 895–1526, page 243
Origin
- Medieval Latinsēcrētus cancellārius
- Hungariantitkos kancellár
- Englishsecret chancellor
Calque of Hungarian titkos kancellár, itself from Medieval Latin sēcrētus cancellārius. Compare English privy.
More words from Hungarian, Medieval Latin
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
secret chancellor. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/secret%20chancellor
“secret chancellor.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/secret%20chancellor. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “secret chancellor,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/secret%20chancellor.
Source: secret chancellor on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.