official

²official

adj

Definition of OFFICIAL

1

: of or relating to an office, position, or trust <official duties>

2

: holding an office

3

a : authoritative, authorized <official statement> b : prescribed or recognized as authorized <an official language> c : described by the United States Pharmacopeia or the National Formulary

4

: befitting or characteristic of a person in office <extended an official greeting>

— of·fi·cial·ly \-ˈfi-sh(ə-)lē\ adverb

Examples of OFFICIAL

1. She was accused of destroying official documents.
2. Her illness did not prevent her from performing her official duties.
3. The Vice President is on an official trip.
4. We extended an official greeting to the ambassador.

First Known Use of OFFICIAL

circa 1585

Related to OFFICIAL

Synonyms: authorized, sanctioned

Antonyms: nonofficial, unauthorized, unofficial, unsanctioned

Related Words: lawful, legal, legit [slang], legitimate, licit, permissible, regulation; approved, endorsed (also indorsed); abetted, encouraged, promoted, suggested, supported; certified, licensed; authoritative, canonical, ex officio; semiofficial

Near Antonyms: illegal, illegitimate, illicit, impermissible, lawless, unlawful, wrongful; unapproved, unlicensed, verboten

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Rhymes with OFFICIAL

altricial, comitial, initial, judicial, simplicial, solstitial, surficial