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official

 - 7 dictionary results

of⋅fi⋅cial

  [uh-fish-uhl]
–noun
1. a person appointed or elected to an office or charged with certain duties.
–adjective
2. of or pertaining to an office or position of duty, trust, or authority: official powers.
3. authorized or issued authoritatively: an official report.
4. holding office.
5. appointed or authorized to act in a designated capacity: an official representative.
6. (of an activity or event) intended for the notice of the public and performed or held on behalf of officials or of an organization; formal: the official opening of a store.
7. Pharmacology. noting drugs or drug preparations that are recognized by and that conform to the standards of the United States Pharmacopeia or the National Formulary.
Use official in a Sentence
Origin:
1300–50; ME < LL officiālis of duty, equiv. to L offici(um) office + -ālis -al 1

Related forms:
of⋅fi⋅cial⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
Cite This Source Link To official
of·fi·cial   (ə-fĭsh'əl)   
adj.  

  1. Of or relating to an office or a post of authority: official duties.

  2. Authorized by a proper authority; authoritative: official permission.

  3. Holding office or serving in a public capacity: an official representative.

  4. Characteristic of or befitting a person of authority; formal: an official banquet.

  5. Authorized by or contained in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia or National Formulary. Used of drugs.

n.  

  1. One who holds an office or position, especially one who acts in a subordinate capacity for an institution such as a corporation or governmental agency.

  2. Sports A referee or umpire.


[From Middle English, ecclesiastical officer, from Old French, from Latin officiālis, an attendant of an office, from officium, duty, service; see office.]
of·fi'cial·dom n., of·fi'cial·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

official  (n.)
1314, from O.Fr. official (12c.), from L. officialis "attendant to a magistrate, public official," noun use of officialis (adj.) "of or belonging to duty, service, or office," from officium (see office). Meaning "person in charge of some public work or duty" first recorded 1555. The adj. is first attested 1533, from O.Fr. oficial, from L. officialis. Officialese "language of officialdom" first recorded 1884.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: of·fi·cial
Function: noun
: one who holds or is invested with an office esp. in government official>

Main Entry: official
Function: adjective
1 : of, relating to, or holding an office, position, or trust <official duties>
2 : fully authorized official policy of the bank> —of·fi·cial·ly adverb
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: of·fi·cial
Pronunciation: &-'fish-&l
Function: adjective
: prescribed or recognized as authorized; specifically : described by the U.S. Pharmacopeia or the National Formulary —compare NONOFFICIAL, UNOFFICIAL —of·fi·cial·ly /-'fish-(&-)lE/ adverb
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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official of·fi·cial (ə-fĭsh'əl)
adj.
Authorized by or contained in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia or National Formulary. Used of drugs.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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