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official definition

of·fi·cial (ə fis̸h′əl, ō-)

adjective

  1. of or holding an office, or position of authority
  2. by, from, or with the proper authority; authorized or authoritative an official request
  3. in a formal or ceremonious manner, often involving persons of authority an official welcome to the city
  4. formally set or prescribed the official date of publication
  5. Med., Pharmacy contained in the current pharmacopeia; authorized for use in medicine

Etymology: OFr < LL officialis

noun

  1. a person holding office, esp. public office
  2. Sports one who supervises an athletic contest, as a referee, umpire, etc.

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

medical official definition - medical

official Synonyms

official

modif.

  1. Having to do with one's office

    formal, fitting, suitable, befitting, precise, established, ceremonious, according to precedent, according to protocol, proper, correct, accepted, recognized, customary; see also conventional 1, 2, 3, fit 1, 2.

    Antonyms informal*, unceremonious*, ill-fitting.

  2. Authorized

    ordered, endorsed, sanctioned; see approved.

  3. Reliable

    authoritative, authentic, trustworthy, true, unquestionable, indubitable, veritable, real, sure, absolute, canonical, positive, clear, unequivocal, unmistakable, decisive, conclusive, unimpeachable, valid, authenticated, credible, bona fide, accurate, faithful, standard, irrefutable, incontestable, verified, proven, indisputable, not to be questioned, definite, assured, decided, to be depended on, to be trusted, worthy of confidence, undeniable, guaranteed, insured; see also certain 3, genuine 1, reliable 2.

    Antonyms unreliable*, unauthentic, unverified.


official

n.

  1. Administrator

    comptroller, director, executive; see administrator, leader 2.

  2. A sports official

    referee, umpire, judge, linesman, adjudicator, ref*, ump*, chain gang*; see also judge 2.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

official Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • elect: They plant, maintain, and orchestrate coalitions of voters to exert pressure on elected officials.

Adjective modifier

  • senior: Imagine for a moment that you are a senior official in Iran's foreign ministry.

Modifies a noun

  • receiver: The court will fix the amount on the official receiver 's advice.

Noun used with modifier

  • immigration: In those days the British Immigration officials used to travel on the ferries from Calais to Dover.
official usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

official quotes

Nothing†makes a more fanatical official than a Latin. Organization is alien to their natures, but once they get the taste for it they take to it like drink.

-Hazzard, Shirley

The official world, the corridors of power, the dilemmas of conscience and egotismöshe disliked them all.

-Snow, C(harles) P(ercy), 1st Baron

official quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"official." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/official>

APA Style

official. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/official

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