officious

of·fi·cious

adjective \ə-ˈfi-shəs\

Definition of OFFICIOUS

1

archaic

a : kind, obliging

b : dutiful

2

: volunteering one's services where they are neither asked nor needed : meddlesome

3

: informal, unofficial

— of·fi·cious·ly adverb

— of·fi·cious·ness noun

Examples of OFFICIOUS

1. <an officious little man who was always telling everyone else how to do their jobs>

Origin of OFFICIOUS

Latin officiosus, from officium service, office

First Known Use: 1565

Related to OFFICIOUS

Synonyms

busy, interfering, intruding, meddlesome, meddling, nosy (or nosey), obtrusive, intrusive, presuming, presumptuous, protrusive, prying, pushing, pushy, snoopy

Antonyms

unobtrusive

Related Words

bold, brazen, bumptious, impertinent, impudent, insolent, rude; invading, trespassing; curious, inquisitive; annoying, harassing, pestiferous; overbearing, superserviceable

Near Antonyms

hands-off; uninvolved; quiet, reclusive, reserved, reticent, retiring, silent, taciturn, withdrawn; inhibited, restrained, subdued

See Synonym Discussion at impertinent

Rhymes with OFFICIOUS

ambitious, auspicious, capricious, delicious, factitious, fictitious, flagitious, judicious, lubricious, malicious, nutritious, pernicious, propitious, pumiceous, seditious, sericeous, suspicious