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Officer vs Official - What's the difference?

officer | official | Related terms |

Official is a related term of officer.



As nouns the difference between officer and official

is that officer is (one who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization)One who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization, especially in military, police or government organizations while official is an office holder invested with powers and authorities.

As a verb officer

is to supply with officers.

As an adjective official is

of or pertaining to an office or public trust.

officer

Noun

(en noun)
  • (senseid)One who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization, especially in military, police or government organizations.
  • * , chapter=19
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=Nothing was too small to receive attention, if a supervising eye could suggest improvements likely to conduce to the common welfare. Mr. Gordon Burnage, for instance, personally visited dust-bins and back premises, accompanied by a sort of village bailiff, going his round like a commanding officer doing billets.}}
  • (senseid)One who holds a public office.
  • (senseid)An agent or servant imparted with the ability, to some degree, to act on initiative.
  • (senseid)(colloquial, military) A commissioned officer.
  • Derived terms

    * non-commissioned officer

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To supply with officers .
  • To command like an officer .
  • Synonyms

    * direct * conduct * manage

    official

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Of or pertaining to an office or public trust.
  • official duties
  • Derived from the proper office or officer, or from the proper authority; made or communicated by virtue of authority
  • an official statement or report
  • Approved by authority; authorized.
  • sanctioned by the pharmacopoeia; appointed to be used in medicine; officinal
  • an official drug or preparation
  • Discharging an office or function.
  • * Sir Thomas Browne
  • the stomach and other parts official unto nutrition
  • Relating to an office; especially, to a subordinate executive officer or attendant.
  • Relating to an ecclesiastical judge appointed by a bishop, chapter, archdeacon, etc., with charge of the spiritual jurisdiction.
  • Antonyms

    * unofficial

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An office holder invested with powers and authorities.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2014-03-15, volume=410, issue=8878, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= Turn it off , passage=If the takeover is approved, Comcast would control 20 of the top 25 cable markets, […]. Antitrust officials will need to consider Comcast’s status as a monopsony (a buyer with disproportionate power), when it comes to negotiations with programmers, whose channels it pays to carry.}}
  • A person responsible for applying the rules of a game or sport in a competition.
  • Hyponyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * fourth official

    Statistics

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