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Webster 1913 Edition


Official

Of-fi′cial

,
Adj.
[L.
officialis
: cf. F.
officiel
. See
Office
, and cf.
Official
,
Noun.
]
1.
Of or pertaining to an office or public trust;
as,
official
duties, or routine
.
That, in the
official
marks invested, you
Anon do meet the senate.
Shakespeare
2.
Derived from the proper office or officer, or from the proper authority; made or communicated by virtue of authority;
as, an
official
statement or report
.
3.
(Pharm.)
Approved by authority; sanctioned by the pharmacopoeia; appointed to be used in medicine;
as, an
official
drug or preparation
. Cf.
Officinal
.
4.
Discharging an office or function.
[Obs.]
The stomach and other parts
official
unto nutrition.
Sir T. Browne.

Of-fi′cial

,
Noun.
[L.
officialis
a magistrate’s servant or attendant: cf. F.
official
. See
Official
,
Adj.
, and cf.
Officer
.]
1.
One who holds an office; esp., a subordinate executive officer or attendant.
2.
An ecclesiastical judge appointed by a bishop, chapter, archdeacon, etc., with charge of the spiritual jurisdiction.
Blackstone.

Webster 1828 Edition


Official

OFFI'CIAL

,
Adj.
1.
Pertaining to an office or public trust. The secretary is engaged in official duties.
2.
Derived from the proper office or officer, or from the proper authority; made or communicated by virtue of authority; as an official statement or report. We have official intelligence of the battle.
3.
Conducive by virtue of appropriate powers.
The stomach and other parts official to nutrition. [Unusual.]

OFFI'CIAL

,
Noun.
An ecclesiastical judge appointed by a bishop, chapter, archdeacon, &c., with charge of the spiritual jurisdiction.

Definition 2024


official

official

English

Adjective

official (comparative more official, superlative most official)

  1. Of or pertaining to an office or public trust.
    official duties
  2. Derived from the proper office or officer, or from the proper authority; made or communicated by virtue of authority
    an official statement or report
  3. Approved by authority; authorized.
  4. sanctioned by the pharmacopoeia; appointed to be used in medicine; officinal
    an official drug or preparation
  5. Discharging an office or function.
    • Sir Thomas Browne
      the stomach and other parts official unto nutrition
  6. Relating to an office; especially, to a subordinate executive officer or attendant.
  7. Relating to an ecclesiastical judge appointed by a bishop, chapter, archdeacon, etc., with charge of the spiritual jurisdiction.
  8. True, real, beyond doubt.
    Well, it's official: you lost your mind!

Antonyms

Related terms

Translations

Noun

official (plural officials)

  1. An office holder invested with powers and authorities.
    David Barnes was the official charged with the running of the sports club.
    • 2014 March 15, Turn it off”, in The Economist, volume 410, number 8878:
      If the takeover is approved, Comcast would control 20 of the top 25 cable markets, […]. Antitrust officials will need to consider Comcast’s status as a monopsony (a buyer with disproportionate power), when it comes to negotiations with programmers, whose channels it pays to carry.
  2. A person responsible for applying the rules of a game or sport in a competition.
    In most soccer games there are three officials: the referee and two linesmen.

Hyponyms

  • See also Wikisaurus:official

Derived terms

Translations

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: proved · plan · pain · #939: official · loss · spot · wonderful

Old French

Alternative forms

Noun

official m (oblique plural officiaus or officiax or officials, nominative singular officiaus or officiax or officials, nominative plural official)

  1. court official
  2. chamber pot

Adjective

official m (oblique and nominative feminine singular officiale)

  1. official; certified or permitted by an authoritative source
    • 1303, Bernard de Gordon, Fleur de lis de medecine (a.k.a. lilium medicine), page 182 of this essay:
      tumeur c’est maladie officiale

Descendants


Portuguese

Adjective

official (plural officiaes, comparable)

  1. Obsolete spelling of oficial

Noun

official m f (plural officiaes)

  1. Obsolete spelling of oficial