unofficially

C2+ Topic:Law & Government

US /ˌʌnəˈfɪʃəli/ UK /ˌʌnəˈfɪʃəli/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adv
not in an official capacity; informally

Unofficially, the deal had already been agreed.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · not in an official... informally privatelyunofficiouslycasually

Opposites

officially formally

Word family

Related forms official unofficial office

Etymology

From un- ('not') + officially, from official, from Latin officialis ('of duty'), from officium ('service, duty').

un- Old English officium Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Law & Government Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# unofficially

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** /ˌʌnəˈfɪʃəli/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌʌnəˈfɪʃəli/

## Meanings
1. not in an official capacity; informally

## Examples
- Unofficially, the deal had already been agreed.

## Synonyms
- informally
- privately
- unofficiously
- casually

## Antonyms
- officially
- formally

## Related Forms
- official
- unofficial
- office

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: un-
- Root: officium

## Etymology
From un- ('not') + officially, from official, from Latin officialis ('of duty'), from officium ('service, duty').

## AI Etymology
Unofficially is from un- ('not') + officially, from official, from Latin officialis ('of duty'), from officium ('service, duty'). Important recorded forms include un- (Old English) and officium (Latin). Morphologically, the un- element marks negation, reversal, removal, or deprivation, while the base supplies the action, quality, or state being denied or undone. The modern sense is largely compositional, with the historical elements narrowing into a stable English lexical item. In current use it covers not in an official capacity; informally. The wider family includes related words such as official, unofficial, and office.

## Topics
- Law & Government
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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