Meaning of the word official

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An official is someone who holds an office (function or mandate, regardless of whether it carries an actual working space with it) in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority (either their own or that of their superior or employer, public or legally private). An elected official is a person who is an official by virtue of an election. Officials may also be appointed ex officio (by virtue of another office, often in a specified capacity, such as presiding, advisory, secretary). Some official positions may be inherited. A person who currently holds an office is referred to as an incumbent. Something «official» refers to something endowed with governmental or other authoritative recognition or mandate, as in official language, official gazette, or official scorer.

Etymology[edit]

The word official as a noun has been recorded since the Middle English period, first seen in 1314.^[1] It comes from the Old French official (12th century), from the Latin officialis («attendant to a magistrate, government official»), the noun use of the original adjective officialis («of or belonging to duty, service, or office») from officium («office»). The meaning «person in charge of some public work or duty» was first recorded in 1555. The adjective is first attested in English in 1533 via the Old French oficial. The informal term officialese, the jargon of «officialdom», was first recorded in 1884.

Roman antiquity[edit]

An officialis (plural officiales) was the official term (somewhat comparable to a modern civil servant) for any member of the officium (staff) of a high dignitary such as a governor.

Ecclesiastical judiciary[edit]

In canon law, the word or its Latin original officialis is used absolutely as the legal title of a diocesan bishop’s judicial vicar who shares the bishop’s ordinary judicial power over the diocese and presides over the diocesan ecclesiastical court.

The 1983 Code of Canon Law gives precedence to the title judicial vicar, rather than that of officialis (canon 1420). The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches uses only the title judicial vicar (canon 191).

In German, the related noun Offizialat was also used for an official bureau in a diocese that did much of its administration, comprising the vicariate-general, an adjoined secretariat, a registry office and a chancery.

In Catholicism, the vicar-general was originally called the «official» (officialis).^[2]

The title of official principal, together with that of vicar-general, has in Anglicanism been merged in that of diocesan chancellor of a diocese.^[3]

Sports[edit]

In sports, the term official is used to describe a person enforcing playing rules in the capacity of a assistant referee, referee and umpire; also specified by the discipline, e.g. American football official, ice hockey official. An official competition is created or recognized as valid by the competent body, is agreed to or arranged by people in positions of authority.^[4] It is synonymous, among others, with approved, certified, recognized, endorsed, and legitimate.^[5]

Other[edit]

The term officer is close to being a synonym (but has more military connotations). A functionary is someone who carries out a particular role within an organization; this again is quite a close synonym for official, as a noun, but with connotations closer to bureaucrat. Any such person acts in their official capacity, in carrying out the duties of their office; they are also said to officiate, for example, in a ceremony. A public official is an official of central or local government.

Max Weber on bureaucratic officials[edit]

Max Weber gave as definition of a bureaucratic official:

• they are personally free and appointed to their position on the basis of conduct
• he exercises the authority delegated to them in accordance with impersonal rules, and their loyalty is enlisted on behalf of the faithful execution of their official duties
• their appointment and job placement are dependent upon their technical qualifications
• their administrative work is a full-time occupation
• their work is rewarded by a regular salary and prospects of advancement in a lifetime career.

An official must exercise their judgment and their skills, but their duty is to place these at the service of a higher authority; ultimately they are responsible only for the impartial execution of assigned tasks and must sacrifice their personal judgment if it runs counter to their official duties.

Adjective[edit]

As an adjective, «official» often, but not always, means pertaining to the government, as state employee or having state recognition, or analogous to governance or to a formal (especially legally regulated) proceeding as opposed to informal business. In summary, that has authenticity emanates from an authority. Some examples:

• An official holiday is a public holiday, having national (or regional) recognition.
• An official language is a language recognised by a government, for its own use in administration, or for delivering services to its citizens (for example, on signposts).
• An official spokesperson is an individual empowered to speak for the government, or some part of it such as a ministry, on a range of issues and on the record for the media.
• An official statement is an issued by an organisation as an expression of its corporate position or opinion;^{[citation needed]} an official apology is an apology similarly issued by an organisation (as opposed to an apology by an individual).^{[citation needed]}
• Official policy is policy publicly acknowledged and defended by an organisation.^{[citation needed]} In these cases unofficial is an antonym, and variously may mean informal, unrecognised, personal or unacknowledged.
• An official strike is a strike organised and recognised by a labour union, as opposed to an unofficial strike at grassroots level.
• An official school is a school administered by the government or by a local authority, as opposite to a private school or religious school.^{[citation needed]}
• An official history, for example of an institution or business, or particularly of a war or military unit, is a history written as a commission, with the assumption of co-operation with access to records and archives; but without necessarily full editorial independence.^{[citation needed]}
• An official biography is usually on the same lines, written with access to private papers and the support of the family of the subject.^{[citation needed]}

See also[edit]

• Bureaucrat
• Canonical
• Civil service
• Politician
• Title

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• «Office» . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 20 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 16.
• «official — Search». Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 25 October 2018.

1 : of or relating to an office, position, or trust official duties official documents. 2 : holding an office : having authority the president’s official representative. 3a : authoritative, authorized official statement an official biography.

What is an example of official?

The definition of official is authorized, or is someone who holds a position of authority. An example of an official document is a certified birth certificate. An example of an official person is a city planner.Authorized by a proper authority; authoritative.

Official things are used by a person in authority as part of their job.the official residence of the head of state. If you describe someone’s explanation or reason for something as the official explanation, you are suggesting that it is probably not true, but is used because the real explanation is embarrassing.

What type of word is official?

As detailed above, ‘official’ can be an adjective or a noun. Adjective usage: official duties. Adjective usage: an official statement or report.

What is the base word of official?

1400, “required by duty,” from Old French oficial “official; main, principal” (14c., Modern French officiel) and directly from Late Latin officialis “of or belonging to duty, service, or office,” from Latin officium “service, kindness, favor; official duty, function, business; ceremonial observance,” literally “work-

What does a government official MEAN?

Government Official means any officer, employee or other individual acting in an official capacity for a Governmental Authority or agency or instrumentality thereof (including any state-owned or controlled enterprise).

What does official matter mean?

official matter means a contract, bid, award, appointment, regulation, court order, resolution, recommendation or any other action on a public policy issue of a discretionary nature pending before County commissioners court or any County board or commission.

What does it mean to be an A official person?

An official is someone who holds an office (function or mandate, regardless whether it carries an actual working space with it) in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority, (either their own or that of their superior and/or employer, public or legally private).

What does it mean to make something official?

If something’s done officially, it’s done formally, often with the backing of some kind of authority, like a government.Officially can also describe something authorized by a government or other organization with authority.

What is a company official?

Related Definitions
Company Official means any Director or Officer of, or individual employed directly by, the Company, or any individual rendering similar services to the Company under an administrative or similar agreement.

What is the meaning of official in Instagram?

Going Instagram official means posting a photo of you and your significant other, generally looking casual yet cute, to your Instagram page accompanied by a somewhat ambiguous caption or series of emoji. It’s a way of declaring to the world, yes, we are dating.

What is the official UK dictionary?

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is the principal historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP).The first electronic version of the dictionary was made available in 1988.

Who is considered public official?

Examples of public officers are: the President and the Vice President; a governor or mayor; the secretary of state; a member of a legislative body, such as a state legislature, county commission, city counsel, school board, utility or hospital district; a judge, a justice of the peace, a county or city attorney, a

What is difference between officers and officials?

An officer is a person with a special rank or authority in the army, navy, air force, police force or customs service. An official is a person with authority in the (local or national) government or in a trade union. e.g. My brother is a naval officer, my sister is an official on the town council.

What is an elected official definition?

noun. an official who has been chosen by election. Public policy should be made by elected officials and not in the courts.

What do you mean by Meta?

Meta is a word which, like so many other things, we have the ancient Greeks to thank for. When they used it, meta meant “beyond,” “after,” or “behind.” The “beyond” sense of meta still lingers in words like metaphysics or meta-economy.The self-referencing sense of meta seems especially popular in art.

Why do definitions matter?

One of the reasons that it is important to understand why definitions matter is because the way we define things helps determine how we think about them. And how we think about things can affect how we act.

What word means the same as officially?

In this page you can discover 31 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for officially, like: formally, correctly, unofficially, suitably, conventionally, ceremoniously, orderly, properly, casually, befittingly and according to precedent.

Madi: Going Insta Official is a very public way of saying “Yes, I am in a relationship with this person, and I’m ready for the whole world to know,” which is a pretty big deal.

How do you use the word official?

Official sentence example

1. Take this as an official request.
2. He’s the one who made this an official matter for the sheriff’s office.
3. After all, it was the night of our official engagement.
4. In 1821 he began his official career as a lawyer in the grand-duchy of Hesse, and in 1832 was elected to the second chamber.

Why do people use official in Instagram?

Official Instagram Statements
Instagram makes its views on verification clear in its help files. It says that a verified badge means “that Instagram has confirmed that this is the authentic account for the public figure, celebrity or global brand it represents.”

What do we mean by official?

Of or relating to an office or a post of authority. adjective

Authorized by a proper authority; authoritative. adjective

Holding office or serving in a public capacity. adjective

Characteristic of or befitting a person of authority; formal. adjective

Authorized by or contained in the US Pharmacopoeia or National Formulary. Used of drugs. adjective

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. noun

A referee or umpire. noun

In pharm., authorized by the pharmacopœia of some country or countries: as, an official drug; an official preparation. In this sense recent, displacing the broader term officinal.

Of or pertaining to office or the performance of the duties of an office: as, official duty; official cares or responsibility.

Derived from the proper office or officer, or from the proper authority; made or communicated by virtue of authority; hence, authorized: as, an official statement or report.

Performing duties or offices; rendering useful service; ministering.

One who is invested with an office of a public nature; one holding a civil appointment: as, a government official; a railway official. noun

In English ecclesiastical law, a person appointed as judge by a bishop, chapter, or archdeacon, to hear causes in the ecclesiastical courts. noun

One who holds an office; esp., a subordinate executive officer or attendant. noun

An ecclesiastical judge appointed by a bishop, chapter, archdeacon, etc., with charge of the spiritual jurisdiction. noun

Of or pertaining to an office or public trust. adjective

Derived from the proper office or officer, or from the proper authority; made or communicated by virtue of authority. adjective

Approved by authority; sanctioned by the pharmacopœia; appointed to be used in medicine. Cf. Officinal. adjective

Discharging an office or function. adjective

Of or pertaining to an office or public trust. adjective

An office holder invested with powers and authorities.

A person responsible for applying the rules of a game or sport in a competition.

Something REAL or great or or respected Urban Dictionary

Something tight Urban Dictionary

Official is a word which me and my friends have used for many years, we use in the context of which proucts or person etc is supperior and therefore the best. As a rule the first of a particular product is automatically official, however a product can overtake another with superior price or quality. If the person for example is annoying and you dislike him you may then to decide to use the term unofficial which is basically everything which is not official.
Finally the last context is an act done by someone, which is pulled of perfectly and is generally good all round. If however they bail that is unofficial.
There are other contexts obviously but far to many yo put here (e.g. place, name, colour etc) so use in whatever context you like, but make sure its an official context. Urban Dictionary

1. Official (n): A person with recognized administrative responsibilities in accordance with a specific event, idea, organization. Charged with the task of maintaining order and/or giving help. An authority figure.
2. Official (n): An authorized (noun), authorized by the company, person, government etc. with the rights to the (noun). In essence, something that is sanctioned, supported, or condoned by the owners.
3. Official (Adj): A tagline used incorrectly, frequently, and inanely in topic titles on message boards. Intended to gain the attention of other, also stupid board members, by flagging they’re attention. The belief is that people will go to their topic if it is ‘official’ which in 99.9% of the time, is not actually official, just says it is. Blandly, it is an adjective used by board memebers to indicate the importance or special nature of their topics, regardless of the fact it is not, in fact, official at all. Urban Dictionary

Used to refer to any single or group of African-American (black) individuals. Urban Dictionary

Steamy Hot Tuggin’ Urban Dictionary

An oral sexual act.
Often used for fellatio, but can be used to refer to other oral sex acts, like handjobs, anal stimulation, tonguing, ect… Urban Dictionary

Another term for gay or homosexual Urban Dictionary

When your friend says your official official but no official official it means that she dosen’t know and is having fun with your confused expression. Urban Dictionary

To be officially official with said official action/task. Urban Dictionary

Английский

official I

Морфологические и синтаксические свойства

ед. ч.	мн. ч.
official	officials

official

Существительное.

Корень: —.

Произношение

• МФА (США): ед. ч. [ə’fɪʃ(ə)l]  мн. ч. []

Семантические свойства

Значение

1. должностное лицо; чиновник (крупный, влиятельный); служащий (государственный, банковский) ◆ Appointed official — Назначаемое лицо; должностное лицо, принятое по назначению ◆ Government official — Правительственный чиновник
2. религ. официал, духовный судья ◆ Отсутствует пример употребления (см. рекомендации).

Синонимы

Антонимы

Гиперонимы

Гипонимы

Родственные слова

Ближайшее родство

Этимология

От лат. officialis «служебный, должностной», далее из officium «услуга, одолжение; долг, обязанность», из opificium «изготовление, работа», далее из ops (opis) «мощь, могущество; помощь, поддержка», из opus «работа, труд» (восходит к праиндоевр. *op- «работать, производить»), + facere «делать, производить» (восходит к праиндоевр. *dhe- «девать, делать»). Использованы материалы Online Etymology Dictionary Дугласа Харпера. См. Список литературы.

Фразеологизмы и устойчивые сочетания

official II

Морфологические и синтаксические свойства

сравн. ст.	превосх. ст.
more official	most official

official

Прилагательное.

Корень: —.

Произношение

• МФА (США): [əˈfɪʃ(ə)l] 

Семантические свойства

Значение

1. служебный; связанный с исполнением служебных обязанностей; должностной ◆ Official duties — Служебные обязанности
2. официальный ◆ Official statement — Официальное заявление
3. казённый, формальный, бюрократический ◆ Official circumlocution — Бюрократическая волокита
4. принятый в медицине и фармакопее ◆ Отсутствует пример употребления (см. рекомендации).

Синонимы

1. —
2. authoritative
3. formal

Антонимы

Гиперонимы

Гипонимы

Родственные слова

Ближайшее родство

Этимология

От лат. officialis «служебный, должностной», далее из officium «услуга, одолжение; долг, обязанность», из opificium «изготовление, работа», далее из ops (opis) «мощь, могущество; помощь, поддержка», из opus «работа, труд» (восходит к праиндоевр. *op- «работать, производить»), + facere «делать, производить» (восходит к праиндоевр. *dhe- «девать, делать»). Использованы материалы Online Etymology Dictionary Дугласа Харпера. См. Список литературы.

Фразеологизмы и устойчивые сочетания

Французский

Морфологические и синтаксические свойства

ед. ч.	мн. ч.
official	officiaux

official

Существительное, мужской род.

Корень: —.

Произношение

• МФА: [ɔfiˈsjal]

Семантические свойства

Значение

1. религ. официал, духовный судья ◆ Отсутствует пример употребления (см. рекомендации).

Синонимы

Антонимы

Гиперонимы

Гипонимы

Родственные слова

Ближайшее родство

Этимология

От лат. officialis «служебный, должностной», далее из officium «услуга, одолжение; долг, обязанность», из opificium «изготовление, работа», далее из ops (opis) «мощь, могущество; помощь, поддержка», из opus «работа, труд» (восходит к праиндоевр. *op- «работать, производить»), + facere «делать, производить» (восходит к праиндоевр. *dhe- «девать, делать»).

Фразеологизмы и устойчивые сочетания

официальный, служебный, должностной, чиновник, должностное лицо, служащий

прилагательное ↓

существительное ↓

Словосочетания

the official endorsement of his candidacy — официальная поддержка его кандидатуры  
the official mascot of the 2002 World Cup — официальный талисман Чемпионата мира по футболу 2002 года  
official buffet — фуршет  
official delegation — официальная делегация  
official duties — служебные обязанности  
official greetings — официальное поздравление  
elected official — выборное лицо  
local official — местный чиновник  
postal official — почтовый служащий  
public official — должностное лицо  
city official — представитель городских властей  
official corruption — должностная коррупция  

Примеры с переводом

Примеры, ожидающие перевода

Возможные однокоренные слова

inofficial  — неофициальный, приватный
officialdom  — чиновничество, бюрократизм
officialese  — чиновничий, канцелярский стиль
officialism  — бюрократизм, чиновничье самодовольство, чиновничество
officialize  — придавать официальный характер
officially  — официально, формально
unofficial  — неофициальный
officiality  — должность председателя церковного суда, официальность

Формы слова

noun
ед. ч.(singular): official
мн. ч.(plural): officials

• Defenition of the word official

  • Made or communicated by virtue of authority.
  • An employee of the public authorities who acts in an official capacity and with certain powers and authorities.
  • Characteristic of or befitting a person in authority.
  • having official authority or sanction; «official permission»; «an official representative»
  • verified officially; «the election returns are now official»
  • (of a church) given official status as a national or state institution
  • of or relating to an office; «official privileges»
  • administers rules of a game or sport
  • a worker who holds or is invested with an office
  • conforming to set usage, procedure, or discipline; «in prescribed order»
  • someone who administers the rules of a game or sport; «the golfer asked for an official who could give him a ruling»
  • someone who administers the rules of a game or sport
  • having official authority or sanction
  • verified officially
  • conforming to set usage, procedure, or discipline
  • of or relating to an office

Synonyms for the word official

• • administrator
  • allowed
  • approved
  • authoritative
  • authorized
  • bureaucrat
  • certified
  • endorsed
  • executive
  • formal
  • functionary
  • legitimate
  • officer
  • prescribed
  • representative
  • sanctioned
  • spokesperson

Similar words in the official

• • authorised
  • authoritative
  • authorized
  • confirmed
  • constituted
  • established
  • ex officio
  • formal
  • formalised
  • formalized
  • official
  • officialdom
  • officialdom’s
  • regular
  • semiofficial

Hyponyms for the word official

• • administrative official
  • agent
  • apparatchik
  • appointee
  • bailiff
  • beadle
  • bureaucrat
  • caretaker
  • censor
  • census taker
  • church officer
  • city father
  • civil servant
  • commissar
  • Comptroller General
  • Comptroller of the Currency
  • diplomat
  • diplomatist
  • dispatcher
  • doorkeeper
  • elected official
  • enumerator
  • equerry
  • federal agent
  • fire marshall
  • fire warden
  • football official
  • forest fire fighter
  • hangover
  • hearing examiner
  • hearing officer
  • holdover
  • incumbent
  • Inquisitor
  • invalidator
  • judge
  • jurist
  • justice
  • licenser
  • linesman
  • mace
  • macebearer
  • macer
  • magistrate
  • mandarin
  • notary
  • notary public
  • noticer
  • nullifier
  • officeholder
  • officer
  • political commissar
  • postmaster general
  • proconsul
  • prosecuting attorney
  • prosecuting officer
  • prosecutor
  • provincial
  • public prosecutor
  • quaestor
  • ranger
  • record-keeper
  • recorder
  • recruiter
  • ref
  • referee
  • registrar
  • regulator
  • returning officer
  • scorekeeper
  • scorer
  • sealer
  • searcher
  • starter
  • teller
  • timekeeper
  • timer
  • town clerk
  • ump
  • umpire
  • usher
  • vizier
  • voider
  • vote counter
  • weigher

Hypernyms for the word official

• • adjudicator
  • skilled worker
  • skilled workman
  • trained worker

Antonyms for the word official

• • unofficial

See other words

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