official
/əˈfɪʃəl/
Word Rarity
Common
Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.14 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Of or about an office or public trust.
adj
Derived from the proper office or officer, or the appropriate authority; made or communicated by authority
adj
Approved by authority; authorized.
adj
Approved by authority; authorized.
adj
Sanctioned by the pharmacopoeia; appointed to be used in medicine; officinal.
adj
Discharging an office or function.
adj
Relating to an office, especially a subordinate executive officer or attendant.
adj
Relating to an ecclesiastical judge appointed by a bishop, chapter, archdeacon, etc., with charge of the spiritual jurisdiction.
Example Sentences
- "official duties"
- "an official statement or report"
- "The Official Strategy Guide"
- "Despite these testimonies, "accidental asphyxiation" remains his official cause of death."
- "an official drug or preparation"
- "the stomach and other parts official unto nutrition"
Etymology
From Middle English official, from Old French official, from Latin officiālis, from Latin officium (“duty, service”), by surface analysis, office + -ial.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *h₃ep-, official, officiālis, officium
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /əˈfɪʃəl/
- British English: /əˈfɪʃəl/