Official vs. Officious — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Official and Officious
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Compare with Definitions
Official
An official is someone who holds an office (function or mandate, regardless whether it carries an actual working space with it) in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority, (either their own or that of their superior and/or employer, public or legally private). An elected official is a person who is an official by virtue of an election.
Officious
Marked by excessive eagerness in offering unwanted services or advice to others
An officious host.
Officious attention.
Official
Relating to an authority or public body and its activities and responsibilities
The prime minister's official engagements
Officious
Informal; unofficial.
Official
A person holding public office or having official duties, especially as a representative of an organization or government department
A union official
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Officious
(Archaic) Motivated by the desire to help others.
Official
Of or relating to an office or a post of authority
Official duties.
Officious
(obsolete) Obliging, attentive, eager to please.
Official
Authorized by a proper authority; authoritative
Official permission.
Officious
Offensively intrusive or interfering in offering advice and services.
Official
Holding office or serving in a public capacity
An official representative.
Officious
Pertaining to, or being in accordance with, duty.
If there were any lie in the case, it could be no more than an officious and venial one.
Official
Characteristic of or befitting a person of authority; formal
An official banquet.
Officious
Disposed to serve; kind; obliging.
Yet not to earth are those bright luminariesOfficious.
They were tolerably well bred, very officious, humane, and hospitable.
Official
Authorized by or contained in the US Pharmacopoeia or National Formulary. Used of drugs.
Officious
Importunately interposing services; intermeddling in affairs in which one has no concern; meddlesome.
You are too officiousIn her behalf that scorns your services.
Official
One who holds an office or position, especially one who acts in a subordinate capacity for an institution such as a corporation or governmental agency.
Officious
Intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner;
An interfering old woman
Bustling about self-importantly making an officious nuisance of himself
Busy about other people's business
Official
(Sports) A referee or umpire.
Official
Of or pertaining to an office or public trust.
Official duties
Official
Derived from the proper office or officer, or from the proper authority; made or communicated by virtue of authority
An official statement or report
Official
Approved by authority; authorized.
The Official Strategy Guide
Official
(Of a statement) Dubious but recognized by authorities as truth and/or canon.
Despite these testimonies, "accidental asphyxiation" remains his official cause of death.
Official
(pharmaceutical) Sanctioned by the pharmacopoeia; appointed to be used in medicine; officinal.
An official drug or preparation
Official
Discharging an office or function.
Official
Relating to an office; especially, to a subordinate executive officer or attendant.
Official
Relating to an ecclesiastical judge appointed by a bishop, chapter, archdeacon, etc., with charge of the spiritual jurisdiction.
Official
(slang) True, real, beyond doubt.
Well, it's official: you lost your mind!
Official
(pharmacology) Listed in a national pharmacopeia.
Official
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.
Official
Of or pertaining to an office or public trust; as, official duties, or routine.
That, in the official marks invested, youAnon do meet the senate.
Official
Derived from the proper office or officer, or from the proper authority; made or communicated by virtue of authority; as, an official statement or report.
Official
Approved by authority; sanctioned by the pharmacopœia; appointed to be used in medicine; as, an official drug or preparation. Cf. Officinal.
Official
Discharging an office or function.
The stomach and other parts official unto nutrition.
Official
One who holds an office; esp., a subordinate executive officer or attendant.
Official
An ecclesiastical judge appointed by a bishop, chapter, archdeacon, etc., with charge of the spiritual jurisdiction.
Official
A worker who holds or is invested with an office
Official
Someone who administers the rules of a game or sport;
The golfer asked for an official who could give him a ruling
Official
Having official authority or sanction;
Official permission
An official representative
Official
Of or relating to an office;
Official privileges
Official
Verified officially;
The election returns are now official
Official
Conforming to set usage, procedure, or discipline;
In prescribed order
Official
(of a church) given official status as a national or state institution
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