Official
/əˈfɪʃ.əl/noun
Relating to a person in authority or to an authorized public duty; formally approved or recognized.
Did you know?Official comes through Medieval Latin from officialis, meaning “pertaining to duty or service,” ultimately tied to Latin officium, the idea of an obligation or public function rather than a magical or occult term.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
officium
“Duty, service, or public function.”
Late Latin
Latin
officālis
“Pertaining to duty or service; an attendant or functionary.”
Old French
Old French
oficial
“Pertaining to an ecclesiastical or legal functionary.”
Middle English
English
official
“A person holding office or authority.”
Modern English
English
official
“Authorized, formal, or connected with an office or public authority.”