office

[ aw-fis, of-is ]

noun

1. a room, set of rooms, or building where the business of a commercial or industrial organization or of a professional person is conducted:

   the main office of an insurance company; a doctor's office.

2. a room assigned to a specific person or a group of persons in a commercial or industrial organization:

   Her office is next to mine.

3. a business or professional organization:

   He went to work in an architect's office.

4. the staff or designated part of a staff at a commercial or industrial organization:

   The whole office was at his wedding.

5. a position of duty, trust, or authority, especially in the government, a corporation, a society, or the like:

   She was elected twice to the office of president.

   Synonyms: situation, berth, station, post

6. employment or position as an official:

   to seek office.

7. the duty, function, or part of a particular person or agency:

   to act in the office of adviser.

   Synonyms: trust, charge, responsibility

8. (initial capital letter) an operating agency or division of certain departments of the U.S. Government:

   Office of Community Services.

9. (initial capital letter) British. a major administrative unit or department of the national government:

   the Foreign Office.

10. Slang. hint, signal, or warning; high sign.
11. Often offices. something, whether good or bad, done or said for or to another:

    He obtained a position through the offices of a friend.

12. Ecclesiastical.
    1. the prescribed order or form for a service of the church or for devotional use.
    2. the services so prescribed.
    3. Also called divine office. the prayers, readings from Scripture, and psalms that must be recited every day by all who are in major orders.
    4. a ceremony or rite, especially for the dead.
13. a service or task to be performed; assignment; chore:

    little domestic offices.

    Synonyms: duty, work

14. offices, Chiefly British.
    1. the parts of a house, as the kitchen, pantry, or laundry, devoted mainly to household work.
    2. the stables, barns, cowhouses, etc., of a farm.
15. Older Slang. privy.

office

/ ˈɒfɪs /

noun

1. 1. a room or set of rooms in which business, professional duties, clerical work, etc, are carried out
   2. ( as modifier )

      an office boy

      office furniture

2. often plural the building or buildings in which the work of an organization, such as a business or government department, is carried out
3. a commercial or professional business

   the architect's office approved the plans

4. the group of persons working in an office

   it was a happy office until she came

5. capital when part of a name (in Britain) a department of the national government

   the Home Office

6. capital when part of a name in the US
   1. a governmental agency, esp of the Federal government
   2. a subdivision of such an agency or of a department

      Office of Science and Technology

7. 1. a position of trust, responsibility, or duty, esp in a government or organization

      to seek office

      the office of president

   2. ( in combination )

      an office-holder

8. duty or function

   the office of an administrator

9. often plural a minor task or service

   domestic offices

10. often plural an action performed for another, usually a beneficial action

    through his good offices

11. a place where tickets, information, etc, can be obtained

    a ticket office

12. Christianity
    1. often plural a ceremony or service, prescribed by ecclesiastical authorities, esp one for the dead
    2. the order or form of these
    3. RC Church the official daily service
    4. short for divine office
13. plural the parts of a house or estate where work is done, goods are stored, etc
14. euphemistic.
    usually plural a lavatory (esp in the phrase usual offices )
15. in office
    (of a government) in power
16. out of office
    (of a government) out of power
17. the office slang.
    a hint or signal

Other Words From

• office·less adjective
• outoffice noun
• sub·office noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of office¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin officium “service, duty, ceremony,” presumably contraction of opificium, from opi- (combining form akin to opus opus ) + -fic- (combining form of facere “to do, make”) + -ium -ium

Word History and Origins

Origin of office¹

C13: via Old French from Latin officium service, duty, from opus work, service + facere to do

Idioms and Phrases

see box office ; front office ; land-office business ; take office .

Synonym Study

See appointment.

Example Sentences

Despite a pledge to be a president who presides over peace rather than war, Trump takes office against a backdrop of global upheaval: wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the increasing closeness of Russia and North Korea, an ascendant China.

From Los Angeles Times

It was Trump, however, who had set the U.S. departure from Afghanistan in motion, setting a timetable that left his successor in office with a narrow range of options.

From Los Angeles Times

He also praised Trump for tapping Elon Musk, a longtime friend of McCarthy and the world’s richest person, to help lead a new office to overhaul government.

From Los Angeles Times

Mirror of an already extant OMB office?

From Slate

“If it’s like Twitter and Musk’s other companies, they’ll want lean staff heavily weighted toward technical hires, carry an expectation that people be in the office all the time, not offer a lot of expectations of benefits, and expect longer work hours.”

From Slate

Related Words

• agency
• building
• bureau
• center
• department
• facility
• factory
• room
• shop
• store
• suite