official

A2 Topic:Law & Government

US /əˈfɪʃəl/ UK /əˈfɪʃ(ə)l/ See IPA manual

Freq #2058

Meanings

1

adj
Approved by or coming from a person in authority.

We are still waiting for the official results of the election.
2

adj
Relating to a position of authority or to public duties.

The president is on an official visit to Japan.
3

noun
A person who holds a position of authority in an organization or government.

A government official answered the journalists' questions.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

approveddecreedrecognized sanctioned

Opposites

unofficial

Word family

Forms officials

Derived forms antiofficialco-officialcounterofficialex-officialextraofficialinofficialnon-officialnonofficialofficialateofficialiseofficialismofficialist

Related forms office officer officiate ruler

Etymology

From Middle English official, from Old French official, from Latin officiālis, from Latin officium (“duty, service”), by surface analysis, office + -ial.

*h₃ep- Proto-Indo-European official Middle English officiālis Latin officium Latin

View etymology graph ->

External links

# official

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /əˈfɪʃəl/
**IPA (UK):** /əˈfɪʃ(ə)l/
**Frequency rank:** 2058

## Meanings
1. Approved by or coming from a person in authority.
2. Relating to a position of authority or to public duties.
3. A person who holds a position of authority in an organization or government.

## Examples
- We are still waiting for the official results of the election.
- The president is on an official visit to Japan.
- A government official answered the journalists' questions.

## Synonyms
- approved
- decreed
- recognized
- sanctioned

## Antonyms
- unofficial

## Derived Forms
- antiofficial
- co-official
- counterofficial
- ex-official
- extraofficial
- inofficial
- non-official
- nonofficial
- officialate
- officialise
- officialism
- officialist

## Related Forms
- office
- officer
- officiate
- ruler

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *h₃ep-
- Root: official
- Root: officiālis
- Root: officium
- Affix: -ial - relating to

## Etymology
From Middle English official, from Old French official, from Latin officiālis, from Latin officium (“duty, service”), by surface analysis, office + -ial.

## AI Etymology
Official comes from Middle English official, from Old French official, from Latin officiālis, from Latin officium (“duty, service”), by surface analysis, office + -ial. The historical chain includes Proto-Indo-European *h₃ep-, Middle English official, Old French official, Latin officiālis, and Latin officium. Modern senses include approved by or coming from a person in authority and relating to a position of authority or to public duties. The wider word family includes derivatives such as antiofficial, co-official, counterofficial, ex-official, extraofficial, and inofficial and related forms such as office, officer, officiate, and ruler.

## Topics
- Law & Government

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official

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