plural offices
1
a
: a building or room in which people work at desks doing business or professional activities
She works at/in our Chicago office.
Are you going to the office today?
The company's main/home office [=the company's most important office] is in San Francisco.
—often used before another nounA new office building [=a building with offices] is being built on Main Street.
office equipment/supplies
Our company is having an office party [=a party for the people who work at the office] next week.
The company is renting office space downtown.
office workers/staff
b
: a room with a desk where a particular person works
The supervisor held an informal meeting in his office.
Her office is on the top floor near the elevator.
He misbehaved in class and was sent to the principal's office.
We use the extra bedroom in our house as an office.
c
chiefly US
: a building or room where a doctor, lawyer, etc., works and meets with patients or clients
We stopped by the lawyer's office to pick up some documents.
the doctor's office [=(Brit) surgery]
2
: the job or position of someone who has authority especially in the government
He has been in office for a decade.
He was voted out of office.
He won the election and will take office at the beginning of the year.
She has decided to leave office after two successful terms.
She plans to run for office [=campaign to be elected to an office] again.
U.S. senators are elected to a term of office of six years.
She has held several public offices.
3
: a department of a company, organization, government, or school.
She went to the unemployment office.
Where is the registrar's office on campus?
the U.S. Patent Office
Cite this Entry
“Office.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/office. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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