official

noun

of·​fi·​cial ə-ˈfi-shəl 

ō-

1

: one who holds or is invested (see invest entry 2 sense 1) with an office : officer

government officials

A company official responded to our request.

2

: one who administers the rules of a game or sport especially as a referee or umpire

a football official

Synonyms of official

• officer

Examples of official in a Sentence

She interviewed a senior official from the previous administration.

A company official responded to our request.

Recent Examples on the Web

Those five were taken to Bellevue Hospital, and none of the injuries are life-threatening, another law enforcement official said. —Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 8 June 2026

The official would not offer any other details of the call, and there was no immediate comment from Netanyahu’s office. —Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026

Multiple people were injured, and a suspect is in custody on June 7 after stabbings were reported at Penn Station in New York City, authorities and fire officials said. —Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 8 June 2026

The craft, with around 60 people aboard, had departed from Libya, officials said. —ABC News, 7 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "person presiding over an ecclesiastical court, domestic retainer," borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin officiālis "person performing the duties of an office, head of an ecclesiastical court," going back to Latin, "attendant on a magistrate," derivative of officiālis "pertaining to fixed duties" — more at official entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing official

• co-official

Rhymes for official

• initial
• judicial
• marischal
• simplicial
• surficial
• artificial
• beneficial
• cicatricial
• interstitial
• nonjudicial
• nonofficial
• prejudicial

Kids Definition

official

1 of 2 noun

of·​fi·​cial ə-ˈfish-əl 

1

: a person who holds an office

2

: a person who enforces the rules in a game or sport

official

2 of 2 adjective

1

: of or relating to an office

official duties

2

: having authority to perform a duty

the official government of the 13 colonies

3

: prescribed or permitted by authority

the official language

an official American League baseball

4

: proper for a person in office

an official greeting

officially

-ˈfish-(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

official

adjective

of·​fi·​cial ə-ˈfish-əl 

: prescribed or recognized as authorized

specifically : described by the United States Pharmacopeia or the National Formulary compare nonofficial, unofficial

officially

-ˈfish-(ə-)lē 

adverb

Legal Definition

official

1 of 2 noun

of·​fi·​cial

: one who holds or is invested with an office especially in government

a municipal official

official

2 of 2 adjective

1

: of, relating to, or holding an office, position, or trust

official duties

2

: fully authorized

an official policy of the bank

officially adverb