What does "official" mean?
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.
Additional senses
- 2.(Pharm.) Approved by authority; sanctioned by the pharmacopoeia; appointed to be used in medicine; as, an official drug or preparation. Cf. Officinal.
- 3.Discharging an office or function. [Obs.] The stomach and other parts official unto nutrition. Sir T. Browne.
- 4.One who holds an office; esp., a subordinate executive officer or attendant.
- 5.An ecclesiastical judge appointed by a bishop, chapter, archdeacon, etc., with charge of the spiritual jurisdiction. Blackstone.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00