officiate

American  

[uh-fish-ee-eyt] / əˈfɪʃ iˌeɪt /

verb (used without object)

officiates, present (3rd person singular) officiated, past participle, past officiating present participle

1. to perform the office of a member of the clergy, as at a divine service.

2. to perform the duties or function of some office or position.

3. to serve as referee, umpire, or other official in a sports contest or game.

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verb (used with object)

officiates, present (3rd person singular) officiated, past participle, past officiating present participle

1. to serve as the priest or minister of (a divine service, religious ceremony, etc.).

2. to perform, carry out, or fulfill (an official duty or function).

3. to act as a referee, umpire, timekeeper, or other official for (a sports contest or game).

officiate British  

/ əˈfɪʃɪˌeɪt /

verb

1. to hold the position, responsibility, or function of an official

2. to conduct a religious or other ceremony

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• officiation
  noun
• officiator
  noun
• unofficiated
  adjective
• unofficiating
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• officiating
  present
• officiated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• officiate
  simple
• officiates
  simple
• have officiated
  perfect
• has officiated
  perfect
• am officiating
  progressive
• are officiating
  progressive
• is officiating
  progressive
• have been officiating
  perfect progressive
• has been officiating
  perfect progressive

Past

• officiated
  simple
• had officiated
  perfect
• was officiating
  progressive
• were officiating
  progressive
• had been officiating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will officiate
  simple
• will have officiated
  perfect
• will be officiating
  progressive
• will have been officiating
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of officiate

First recorded in 1625–35; from Medieval Latin officiātus (past participle of officiāre “to serve”), equivalent to Latin offici(um) “service, duty” + -ātus, past participle suffix; see office, -ate ¹

Explanation

To officiate is to preside over a ceremony, or to be the person in charge. At most weddings, a religious leader or judge officiates. A rabbi might officiate during your cousin's wedding, or the happy couple might ask a friend to officiate. When an official acts in some official way, they also officiate. A referee, for example, officiates at a hockey game, and a town's mayor might officiate at the grand opening of a new library. Officiate, as of the seventeenth century, mainly meant "perform the duty of a priest," from the Latin root officium, "kindness," or "official duty," and also "church service."

Related Words

• preside