The meaning of OFFICIAL is one who holds or is invested with an office : officer. How to use official in a sentence.

An official language is one that is used by the government of a country when making its laws, in official documents, etc.:

Official definition: a person appointed or elected to an office or charged with certain duties.. See examples of OFFICIAL used in a sentence.

If something is official, it's authorized and approved by somebody. If Gatorade is the official drink of the Olympics, somebody with authority has signed some papers and a deal has been made.

Definition of official adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

1. a person appointed or elected to an office or charged with certain duties. 2. of or pertaining to an office or position of duty, trust, or authority: official powers. 3. appointed, authorized, or …

Jun 13, 2025 · official (plural officials) An office holder, a person holding an official position in government, sports, or other organization.

Official definition: Of or relating to an office or a post of authority.

of or relating to an office or to a position of duty, trust, or authority:[before a noun] official powers. appointed, authorized, recognized, or approved by a government or organization: an official flag.

There are seven meanings listed in OED's entry for the adjective official, two of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.