The compound "then-secretary" is a modern English formation that combines a temporal specifier with a title of office. The word "then" has Germanic origins, tracing back to Proto-Germanic þana, and functions adjectivally to pinpoint a past timeframe relative to the present discussion. "Secretary" entered English via Old French from Medieval Latin, its root secretum implying confidentiality and private matters, which was the original duty of the role. The compound logically fuses these elements to create a precise reference to an individual who served in the secretarial role at that specific past time, a common construction in biographical or historical writing.

Structure: then (time) + secretary (role) - then: From Old English þonne, þænne, meaning "at that time, in that case." It functions as a temporal adjective specifying a past period. - secretary: From Late Latin secretarius ("confidential officer"), from Latin secretum ("secret"). It functions as a noun denoting an office or role.