official

[uh-fish-uh l]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR official ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person appointed or elected to an office or charged with certain duties.

adjective

of or relating to an office or position of duty, trust, or authority: official powers.

authorized or issued authoritatively: an official report.

holding office.

appointed or authorized to act in a designated capacity: an official representative.

(of an activity or event) intended for the notice of the public and performed or held on behalf of officials or of an organization; formal: the official opening of a store.

Pharmacology. noting drugs or drug preparations that are recognized by and that conform to the standards of the United States Pharmacopeia or the National Formulary.

Origin of official

1300–50; Middle English < Late Latin officiālis of duty, equivalent to Latin offici(um) office + -ālis -al¹

Related formsof·fi·cial·ly, adverbnon·of·fi·cial, adjectivenon·of·fi·cial·ly, adverbpre·of·fi·cial, adjectivepre·of·fi·cial·ly, adverbpseu·do·of·fi·cial, adjective, nounpseu·do·of·fi·cial·ly, adverbqua·si-of·fi·cial, adjectivequa·si-of·fi·cial·ly, adverbsub·of·fi·cial, noun, adjectivesub·of·fi·cial·ly, adverbun·der·of·fi·cial, adjectiveun·of·fi·cial, adjectiveun·of·fi·cial·ly, adverb

Can be confusedofficial officious

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for officially

regularly, properly, correctly, formally, customarily, orderly, precisely, suitably, befittingly, ceremoniously, conventionally, fittingly, authoritatively

Examples from the Web for officially

Contemporary Examples of officially

Lee and Coogan did briefly meet with the pope, with pictures to prove it, but no one at the Vatican officially screened the film.
Pope Francis Has the Pleasure of Meeting Angelina Jolie for a Few Seconds
Barbie Latza Nadeau
January 8, 2015
After a successful summer working alongside R, he officially offered her the reigns of La Domaine.
Dungeons and Genital Clamps: Inside a Legendary BDSM Chateau
Ian Frisch
December 20, 2014
Kulash moved out to Chicago to be with them and OK Go was officially born.
OK Go Is Helping Redefine the Music Video For the Internet Age
Lauren Schwartzberg
December 15, 2014
Sony is set to officially blame Pyongyang as early as Wednesday.
Sony Blames North Korea for Hacking, but Washington Left Them Completely Vulnerable
Gordon G. Chang
December 3, 2014
In other news, black and white pin-up shots are now officially less valuable than life-size Tiger Beat tear outs.
Justin Bieber Isn’t Even 21, Yet Makes More Money Than Meryl Streep
Amy Zimmerman
November 25, 2014

Historical Examples of officially

This was the rival whose place I had virtually, though not officially, usurped.
It Happened in Egypt
C. N. Williamson
The Battalion bombers on Gallipoli were officially known as Grenadiers.
With Manchesters in the East
Gerald B. Hurst
Vagualame, agent of the Second Bureau, and officially a counter-spy.
A Nest of Spies
Pierre Souvestre
This information was given to me not emotionally but as it were officially.
The Arrow of Gold
Joseph Conrad
The gods are sought not only officially by the state or for state ends, but by the individual.
History of Religion
Allan Menzies

British Dictionary definitions for officially

officially

adverb

in a formal or authoritative mannerthe Queen officially opened the dome

in a way that is formally acknowledged but is not necessarily the caseofficially on the dole but actually holding a job

official

adjective

of or relating to an office, its administration, or its duration

sanctioned by, recognized by, or derived from authorityan official statement

appointed by authority, esp for some special duty

having a formal ceremonial characteran official dinner

noun

a person who holds a position in an organization, government department, etc, esp a subordinate position

Official

adjective

of or relating to one of the two factions of the IRA and Sinn Féin, created by a split in 1969. The Official movement subsequently renounced terrorism and entered constitutional politics in the Irish Republic as the Workers' Party (now the Democratic Left)

noun

a member of the Official IRA and Sinn Féin

Compare Provisional

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for officially

official

early 14c., from Old French oficial "law officer; bishop's representative" (12c.) and directly from Late Latin officialis "attendant to a magistrate, public official," noun use of officialis (adj.) "of or belonging to duty, service, or office" (see official (adj.)). Meaning "person in charge of some public work or duty" first recorded 1550s.

official

adj.

late 14c., "performing a service; required by duty," from Old French oficial "official; main, principal" (14c., Modern French officiel) or directly from Late Latin officialis "of or belonging to duty, service, or office," from Latin officium (see office). Meaning "pertaining to an office or official position" is from c.1600.

officially in Medicine

official

[ə-fĭsh′əl]

adj.

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