An official is someone who holds an office (function or mandate, regardless of 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 or employer, public or legally private).
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 approved by a government or organization. 4. holding office. 5. public and formal; ceremonial.
Definition of official adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
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.
We are directly responsible for nearly 40,000 miles of highway and roughly 25,400 bridges, a system first established in 1911. We also administer the state's 11.8 million vehicle registrations and 10.2 million driver's licenses and IDs, and oversee safety and emission inspection programs.