{{Short description|A person who holds an office}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Other uses|Official (disambiguation)}} {{dictionary definition|date=July 2026}} [[File:Ambtenaar Louis Dusée Zwaansteeg Utrecht v2.jpg|thumb|right|{{Lang|nl|Ambtenaar}} ('government official'), by Louis Dusée, [[Utrecht]], 1961]] An '''official''' is someone who holds an office (function or [[Mandate (politics)|mandate]], regardless of whether it carries an actual [[Office|working space]] with it) in an [[organization]] or government and participates in the exercise of [[authority]] (either their own or that of their superior or employer, public or legally private). The term ''[[officer]]'' is close to being a synonym, but it has more military [[connotation]]s. An '''elected official''' is a person who is an official by virtue of an [[election]]. Officials may also be appointed ''[[ex officio]]'' (by virtue of another office, often in a specified capacity, such as presiding, advisory, secretary). Some official positions may be [[Inheritance|inherited]]. A '''public official''' is an official of central or local [[government]]. A person who currently holds an office is referred to as an [[incumbent]]. Used as an [[#Adjective|adjective]], something "official" refers to something endowed with governmental or other authoritative recognition or mandate, as in [[official language]], [[official gazette]], or [[official scorer]]. A '''functionary''' is someone who carries out a particular role within an organization; this again is quite a close synonym for official, as a [[noun]], but with connotations closer to [[bureaucrat]]. Any such person acts in their '''official capacity''' in carrying out the duties of their office; they are also said to '''officiate''', for example, in a [[ceremony]]. In some court cases, claims made against an organisation because of its alleged actions may also be brought against persons "acting in their official capacity". In the UK, the [[Supreme Court of the United Kingdom|Supreme Court]] case of ''TRA, R. v. United Kingdom'' (2019) looks into this usage and provides details of some significant court cases where "acting in an official capacity" has been interpreted.''Casemine'', [https://www.casemine.com/commentary/uk/defining-'person-acting-in-an-official-capacity'-under-section-134-cja:-tra-v.-united-kingdom-2019-uksc-51/view Defining 'Person Acting in an Official Capacity' under Section 134 CJA: TRA v. United Kingdom [2019] UKSC 51], published 14 November 2019, accessed on 4 November 2025 ==Etymology== The word ''official'' as a [[noun]] has been recorded since the [[Middle English]] period, first seen in 1314.{{cite news |date=25 Nov 2018 |title=Official vs. Officially - What's the difference? |publisher=Ask Difference |url=https://www.askdifference.com/official-vs-officially/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006224633/https://www.askdifference.com/official-vs-officially/ |archive-date=6 October 2022}} It comes from the [[Old French]] ''{{Lang|ang|official}}'' (12th century), from the [[Latin]] ''{{Lang|la|officialis}}'' ("attendant to a magistrate, government official"), the noun use of the original [[adjective]] ''{{Lang|la|officialis}}'' ("of or belonging to duty, service, or office") from ''{{Lang|la|officium}}'' ("office"). The meaning "person in charge of some public work or duty" was first recorded in 1555. The adjective is first attested in English in 1533 via the Old French ''{{Lang|ang|oficial}}''. The informal term ''officialese'', the jargon of "officialdom", was first recorded in 1884. ==Noun== ===Roman antiquity=== {{Unreferenced section|date=February 2023}}An ''{{Lang|la|officialis}}'' ([[plural]] ''{{Lang|la|officiales}}'') was any member of the {{Lang|la|[[Officium (ancient Rome)|officium]]}} (staff) of a high dignitary such as a governor — somewhat comparable to a modern [[civil servant]]. ===Ecclesiastical judiciary=== {{Catholic Church hierarchy sidebar|Administrative and pastoral titles}} {{Canon Law}}In [[Canon law (Catholic Church)|canon law]], the word or its Latin original '''''{{Lang|la|officialis}}''''' is used absolutely as the legal title of a diocesan bishop's [[judicial vicar]] who shares the bishop's [[Ordinary (Catholic Church)|ordinary]] judicial power over the [[diocese]] and presides over the diocesan [[ecclesiastical court]]. The [[1983 Code of Canon Law|1983 ''Code of Canon Law'']] gives precedence to the title judicial vicar, rather than that of {{lang|la|officialis}} (canon 1420). The ''[[Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches]]'' uses only the title judicial vicar (canon 191). In German, the related noun ''{{Lang|de|Offizialat}}'' was also used for an official bureau in a diocese that did much of its administration, comprising the [[vicar general|vicariate-general]], an adjoined secretariat, a registry office and a chancery. In Catholicism, the vicar-general was originally called the "official" (''{{Lang|la|officialis}}'').{{cite Catholic Encyclopedia|wstitle=Diocese |volume= |first=Alphonse |last=van Hove}} The title of '''official principal''', together with that of vicar-general, has in Anglicanism been merged in that of [[diocesan chancellor]] of a diocese.{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Official |volume=20 |page=22}} ===Sports=== In [[sports]], the term official is used to describe a person enforcing playing [[Regulation of sport|rules]] in the capacity of an [[Assistant referee (association football)|assistant referee]], [[referee]] and [[umpire]]; also specified by the discipline, e.g. [[American football official]], [[ice hockey official]]. An official competition is created or recognized as valid by the competent body, is agreed to or arranged by people in positions of authority.{{cite news |title=official, adjective |publisher=Cambridge Dictionary |url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/official |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221123223009/https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/official |archive-date=23 November 2022}} It is synonymous, among others, with approved, certified, recognized, endorsed, and legitimate.{{cite news |title=Synonyms for official |publisher=Thesaurus.com |url=https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/official |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220607175915/https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/official |archive-date=7 June 2022}} ===Max Weber on bureaucratic officials=== {{unreferenced section|date=June 2017}} [[Max Weber]] gave as definition of a [[bureaucratic]] official: *they are personally free and appointed to their position on the basis of conduct *he exercises the authority delegated to them in accordance with impersonal rules, and their loyalty is enlisted on behalf of the faithful execution of their official duties *their appointment and job placement are dependent upon their technical qualifications *their administrative work is a full-time occupation *their work is rewarded by a regular salary and prospects of advancement in a lifetime career. An official must exercise their judgment and their skills, but their duty is to place these at the service of a higher authority; ultimately they are responsible only for the impartial execution of assigned tasks and must sacrifice their personal judgment if it runs counter to their official duties. ==Adjective== As an [[adjective]], "official" often, but not always, means pertaining to the government, as state employee or having state recognition, or analogous to governance or to a formal (especially legally regulated) proceeding as opposed to informal business. In summary, that has authenticity emanates from an authority. Some examples: *An ''official holiday'' is a [[public holiday]], having national (or regional) recognition. *An [[official language]] is a language recognised by a government, for its own use in administration, or for delivering services to its citizens (for example, on [[signpost]]s). *An ''official [[spokesperson]]'' is an individual empowered to speak for the government, or some part of it such as a [[Ministry (government department)|ministry]], on a range of issues and on the record for the [[Mass media|media]]. *An ''official statement'' is an issued by an organisation as an expression of its corporate position or opinion;{{citation needed|date=August 2014}} an ''official apology'' is an apology similarly issued by an organisation (as opposed to an apology by an individual).{{citation needed|date=August 2014}} *''Official [[policy]]'' is policy publicly acknowledged and defended by an organisation.{{citation needed|date=August 2014}} In these cases ''unofficial'' is an antonym, and variously may mean informal, unrecognised, personal or unacknowledged. *An ''official strike'' is a [[Strike action|strike]] organised and recognised by a [[labour union]], as opposed to an ''unofficial strike'' at grassroots level. *An ''official school'' is a [[school]] administered by the government or by a local authority, as opposite to a [[private school]] or [[Parochial school|religious school]].{{citation needed|date=August 2014}} *An ''[[official history]]'', for example of an institution or business, or particularly of a [[war]] or [[military unit]], is a history written as a commission, with the assumption of co-operation with access to records and archives; but without necessarily full [[editorial independence]].{{citation needed|date=August 2014}} *An ''[[official biography]]'' is usually on the same lines, written with access to private papers and the support of the family of the subject.{{citation needed|date=August 2014}} ==See also== * [[Canonical]] * [[Politician]] * [[Term of office]] * [[Title]] == References == {{Reflist}} == Further reading == {{wiktionary|official}} *{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Office |volume=20 |page=16 |short=x}} *{{cite web | title=official - Search | website=Online Etymology Dictionary | url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=official&searchmode=none | access-date=25 October 2018}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:Ecclesiastical titles]] [[Category:Positions of authority]] [[Category:Government occupations| ]]