English
official
Official comes from Old French official, from Latin officiālis, from officium ‘duty, service’, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃ep- ‘to work’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃ep-‘to work’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃ep-(i)-reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*opisreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEopsas opis‘power, ability, resources’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEopificium
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEofficium‘duty, service’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEofficiālis
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400official‘court official’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500official
- Englishearliest quotation 1650official
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃ep-‘to work’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃ep-(i)-reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*opisreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEopsas opis‘power, ability, resources’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEopificium
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEofficium‘duty, service’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEofficiālis
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400official‘court official’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500official
- Englishearliest quotation 1650official
Earliest quotation: 1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […]: “the stomach and other parts official unto nutrition”.
Equivalent to office + -ial
Proto-Indo-European *h₃ep- ‘to work’
…
Latin opificium ‘construction: the act of building or the…’
Latin officium ‘duty; official position; function’
Old French office
Middle English office
English office
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃ep- ‘to work, toil’
operation, bus, operate, operator, opera, opus, omnibus, oeuvre, omnivore, 27 more
through Latin ops ‘power, ability, resources’
Today it means
adj Of or about an office or public trust.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₃ep- / official