From Middle English official, from Old French official, from Latin officiālis, from Latin officium, by surface analysis, office +‎ -ial.

• IPA: /əˈfɪʃəl/

official

1. Of or pertaining to an office or public trust.

   official duties

2. Derived from the proper office or officer, or from the proper authority; made or communicated by virtue of authority

   an official statement or report

3. Approved by authority; authorized.

   The Official Strategy Guide

   1. (Of a statement) Dubious but recognized by authorities as truth and/or canon.

      Despite these testimonies, "accidental asphyxiation" remains his official cause of death.

4. (pharmaceutical) Sanctioned by the pharmacopoeia; appointed to be used in medicine; officinal.

   an official drug or preparation

5. Discharging an office or function.
   • 1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC ↗:

     the stomach and other parts official unto nutrition

6. Relating to an office; especially, to a subordinate executive officer or attendant.
7. Relating to an ecclesiastical judge appointed by a bishop, chapter, archdeacon, etc., with charge of the spiritual jurisdiction.
8. (informal) True, real, beyond doubt.

   Well, it's official: you lost your mind!

9. (pharmacology) Listed in a national pharmacopeia.

• unofficial

• Italian: ufficiale
• Portuguese: oficial
• Russian: служе́бный
• Spanish: oficial

• Italian: ufficiale
• Russian: официа́льный
• Spanish: oficial

• French: officiel
• German: offiziell
• Italian: ufficiale
• Russian: официа́льный
• Spanish: oficial

• French: officiel
• German: offiziell, amtlich, dienstlich
• Italian: ufficiale
• Portuguese: oficial
• Russian: официа́льный
• Spanish: oficial

official (plural officials)

1. An office holder, a person holding an official position in government, sports, or other organization.

   Officials in the Firefly administration assure the Sylvanians they don't want war either.

   In most soccer games, there are three officials: the referee and two linesmen.

   The company's officials became nabobs as it took on more and more power after Plassey.

   • 1941, George Orwell, The Lion and the Unicorn, Pt. III:

     ...officials with their prehensile bottoms...

• See Thesaurus:official

• French: cadre, fonctionnaire
• German: Beamter, Beamtin
• Italian: funzionario
• Portuguese: oficial, funcionário
• Russian: официальное лицо
• Spanish: funcionario

• Russian: судья́