officialese

[ uh-fish-uh-leez, -lees ]

noun

1. a style of language used in some official statements, often criticized for its use of polysyllabic jargon and obscure, pretentiously wordy phrasing.

officialese

/ əˌfɪʃəˈliːz /

noun

1. language characteristic of official documents, esp when verbose or pedantic

Word History and Origins

Origin of officialese¹

First recorded in 1880–85; official + -ese