official

/ə-ˈfi-shəl/

Middle English, "person presiding over an ecclesiastical court, domestic retainer," borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin officiālis "person performing the duties of an office, head of an ecclesiastical court," going back to Latin, "attendant on a magistrate," derivative of officiālis "pertaining to fixed duties"

noun

  1. one who holds or is invested with an office : officer

  2. one who administers the rules of a game or sport especially as a referee or umpire

government officials

adjective

  1. of or relating to an office, position, or trust

  2. holding an office : having, authority

  3. authoritative, authorized

official duties

adjective

  1. jointly official

Nationalists called on the French central government to give the language co-official status with French.