office

noun

of·fice | \ ˈä-fəs

, ˈȯ- \

Definition of office

1a : a special duty, charge, or position conferred by an exercise of governmental authority and for a public purpose : a position of authority to exercise a public function and to receive whatever emoluments may belong to it

b : a position of responsibility or some degree of executive authority

2 : a prescribed form or service of worship specifically, capitalized : divine office

3 : a religious or social ceremonial observance : rite

4a : something that one ought to do or must do : an assigned or assumed duty, task, or role

b : the proper or customary action of something : function

c : something done for another : service

5 : a place where a particular kind of business is transacted or a service is supplied: such as

a : a place in which the functions of a public officer are performed

b : the directing headquarters of an enterprise or organization

c : the place in which a professional person conducts business

6 offices plural, chiefly British : the apartments, attached buildings, or outhouses in which the activities attached to the service of a house are carried on

7a : a major administrative unit in some governments British Foreign Office

b : a subdivision of some government departments Patent Office

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Phrases Containing office Learn More About office

Choose the Right Synonym for office

function, office, duty, province mean the acts or operations expected of a person or thing. function implies a definite end or purpose or a particular kind of work. the function of language is two-fold: to communicate emotion and to give information — Aldous Huxley office is typically applied to the function or service associated with a trade or profession or a special relationship to others. they exercise the offices of the judge, the priest, the counsellor — W. E. Gladstone duty applies to a task or responsibility imposed by one's occupation, rank, status, or calling. it is the judicial duty of the court, to examine the whole case — R. B. Taney province applies to a function, office, or duty that naturally or logically falls to one. I felt it was not my province to inquire — Anne Brontë

Examples of office in a Sentence

She works at our Chicago office. Are you going to the office today? 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. We stopped by the lawyer's office to pick up some documents. 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. See More

Recent Examples on the Web Those most eager to curry favor with the soon-to-be leader hurried to his campaign headquarters early in the selection exercise, posing outside his office in front of a cerulean poster featuring the city skyline. — Timothy Mclaughlin, The Atlantic, 8 May 2022 In 2021, the council rejected a plan from its economic development office, which consisted of walkable blocks and space for a small grocery store. — Alixel Cabrera, The Salt Lake Tribune, 8 May 2022 Anton Vlaschenko often hears shelling outside his office in Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv, not far from the front lines of the war. — Christina Larson, ajc, 7 May 2022 To qualify, call their office at 907-276-8023 to enroll. — Scott Mcmurren, Anchorage Daily News, 7 May 2022 She was instead moved to an unmarked room outside her division in the hallway, while her old office remained vacant. — Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 7 May 2022 Mike Feuer announced that his office had filed four misdemeanor counts. — Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2022 To combat that, his office is working toward bringing universal access to medication for opioid-use disorder by 2025. — San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2022 Spartz's chief of staff, Renee Hudson, is departing her office Friday after being with Spartz since January 2021, according to Politico. — Claire Rafford, The Indianapolis Star, 6 May 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'office.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for office

Middle English, "position of authority, duties of a position, proper function, ecclesiastical service, space used for business or domestic functions," borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin officium "beneficial act in fulfillment of an obligation, duty, functions in a position, post" (Late Latin, "ecclesiastical service"), contraction of opificium (attested in sense "constructive work"), from opi- (base of opis, *ops "power, ability" and oper-, opus "work, effort") + facere "to make, do, bring about" + -ium, deverbal suffix of function or state — more at opus, do entry 1

Note: Though officium is formally a contraction of opificium, their senses diverge, the latter noun maintaining a transparent relation to the agent noun opifex "craftsman, artificer."

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Dictionary Entries Near office

off-hour

office

office-bearer

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Last Updated

11 May 2022

Cite this Entry

“Office.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/office. Accessed 18 May. 2022.

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More Definitions for office

office

noun

of·fice | \ ˈȯ-fəs

Kids Definition of office

1 : a place where business is done or a service is supplied a doctor's office

2 : a special duty or position and especially one of authority in government My uncle wants to run for office.

office

noun

of·fice

Legal Definition of office

1 : a special duty, charge, or position conferred by governmental authority and for a public purpose qualified to hold public office broadly : a special duty or position of authority hold an office of trust

2 : a place where business or administration is conducted or services are performed

3 : a special administrative department or unit office of the district attorney