Word.ws English Dictionary

office

Syllables: of·ficeUK/ˈɒf.ɪs/

More pronunciations (1)Fewer pronunciations

Australia/ˈɔf.ɪs/

office noun: a ceremonial duty or service, particularly. Also the abbreviation of Holy Office.

office: a ceremonial duty or service, particularly
Image: FOTO:Fortepan — ID 2201 : Adományozó/Donor: Unknown, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Noun

office (plural offices)

  1. A ceremonial duty or service, particularly
    • Golde (gaue he him)[…]for all maner of veſſels of euery offyce[…]1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, I. Cronicles xxix...
  2. The authorized form of ceremonial worship of a church.
  3. Any special liturgy, as the Office for the Dead or of the Virgin.
  4. A daily service without the eucharist.
  5. The daily service of the breviary, the liturgy for each canonical hour, including psalms, collects, and lessons.
    • In the Latin rite, all bishops, priests, and transitional deacons are obliged to recite the Divine Office daily.
    • His spirituall exercises were chiefly Prayer, the H. Sacrifice of Masse, his Canonicall Houres or diuine Office.1674, Richard Strange, The Life and Gests of S. Thomas Cantilupe, Bishop of Hereford, page 287
  6. Various prayers used with modification as a morning or evening service.
  7. Last rites.
    • The deuout offices of balming and anointing the dead bodies[…]1582, The Nevv Testament of Iesus Christ: […] (Douay–Rheims Bible), Rheims: Iohn Fogny, →OCLC, Iohn 12, marginalia, page 254
    • To show their loue in this last office done
      To a dead friend.1618, S. Rowlands, Sacred Memorie, section 37
  8. (obsolete) Mass, (particularly) the introit sung at its beginning.
    • The office, or Introite, (as they call it).1549, “Svpper of the Lorde”, in The Book of Common Prayer, page 121
  9. A position of responsibility.
    • When the office of Secretary of State is vacant, its duties fall upon an official within the department.
    • Do not conflate the officeholder with the office; the distinction sometimes matters.
  10. Official position, particularly high employment within government; tenure in such a position.
    • She held office as secretary of state until she left office to run for office.
    • Fla.[…]Well, would I were / Gently put out of Office, before I were forc'd out[…]c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...
  11. A duty, particularly owing to one's position or station; a charge, trust, or role; (obsolete, rare) moral duty.
    • Ang.... Doe you your office, or giue vp your Place,
      And you shall well be spar'd.c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
    • The Sun was ſunk, and after him the Starr / Of Heſperus, whoſe Office is to bring / Twilight upon the Earth[…]1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished...
  12. (archaic) Function: anything typically done by or expected of something.
    • In this experiment the several intervals of the teeth of the comb do the office of so many prisms.1704, I[saac] N[ewton], “(please specify |book=1 to 3)”, in Opticks: Or, A Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light. […], London: […] Sam[uel] Smith, and Benj[amin]...
    • I hope you saw her petticoat, six inches deep in mud,[…]and the gown which had been let down to hide it, not doing its office.1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter VIII, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume I, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 76
Show 18 more meaningsShow fewer meanings
  1. (plural, regional) A service, a kindness.
    • The secretary prevailed at the negotiations through the good offices of the Freedonian ambassador.
    • ...which we have hitherto forborne to graunt... for the evell offices whiche her other Secretary did there.1575, Elizabeth I, letter
  2. (figuratively, slang) Inside information.
    • Giving the office—is when you suffer any person, who may stand behind your chair, to look over your hand.1803, Sporting Magazine, number 21, page 327
    • "[…]What is there for me in it?" "Not a shilling." "What? Wasn't it I that gave the information? Where would you have been if I had not given you the office?"1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “Where Silas Linden Comes into His Own”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019
  3. A room, set of rooms, or building used for non-manual work, particularly
    • The office of the Secretary of State is cleaned when it is vacant.
    • Now it came to paſſe that at what time the chest was brought vnto the kings office, by the hand of the Leuites[…]1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Chronicles 24:11, column 1
  4. A room, set of rooms, or building used for administration and bookkeeping.
    • The “Pall Mall Gazette” had its offices[…]in Catherine Street[…]1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, “The Pall Mall Gazette”, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume I, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849, →OCLC, page 347
  5. A room, set of rooms, or building used for selling services or tickets to the public.
    • There will be some of the family waiting for you at the coach-office.1819 September 22, John Keats, letter to Reynolds
  6. (US) A room, set of rooms, or building used for consultation and diagnosis, but not surgery or other major procedures.
    • This one was made out at a private office—Office is American for Surgery.1975, M. Duke, chapter VIII, in Death of Holy Murderer, page 108
  7. (figuratively) The staff of such places.
    • The whole office was there... well, except you, of course.
  8. (figuratively) The administrative departments housed in such places, particularly
    • He's from our public relations office.
  9. (Australia, UK, capitalized, figuratively, usually) A ministry or other department of government.
    • The secretary of state's British colleague heads the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
  10. (figuratively) A particular place of business of a larger white-collar business.
    • He worked as the receptionist at the Akron office.
    • But there is an Insuring-Office set up in the Gospel, as to the venture of our eternities.1647, W. Bridge, Saints Hiding-place, page 17
  11. (dated, in plural) The parts of a house or estate devoted to manual work and storage, as the kitchen, scullery, laundry, stables, etc., particularly (euphemistic, dated) a house or estate's facilities for urination and defecation: outhouses or lavatories.
    • As for the Offices, let them stand at some Distance from the House, with some low covered Galleries, to pass from them to the Palace it self.1720, William Willymott translating Francis Bacon as "Of Building" in Lord Bacons Essays, Vol. I, page 283
    • ... proposals for erecting 500 Publick Offices of Ease in London and Westminster...1727, The Grand Mystery
  12. (obsolete) A piece of land used for hunting; the area of land overseen by a gamekeeper.
    • All hunt in James Whitendales office.1617, Nicholas Assheton, Journal, page 60
  13. (figuratively, obsolete, slang) A hangout: a place where one is normally found.
    • His Office, any Man's ordinary Haunt, or Plying-place, be it Tavern, Ale-house, Gaming-house.1699, A New Dictionary of the Terms Ancient and Modern of the Canting Crew
  14. (UK, dated, slang) A plane's cockpit, particularly an observer's cockpit.
    • I withdraw into ‘the office’, otherwise the observer's cockpit.1917, Alan Bott, An Airman's Outings, page 161
    • In the slang of the Royal Air Force man, the cockpit of his plane is the ‘pulpit’ or ‘office’, the glass covering over it the ‘greenhouse’.1941 March 24, Life, page 85
  15. A collection of business software typically including a word processor and spreadsheet and slideshow programs.
  16. (obsolete) An official or group of officials; (figuratively) a personification of officeholders.
    • […]For who would beare...
      The pangs of despiz'd loue, the lawes delay,
      The insolence of office...
      When he himselfe might his quietas make...
      With a bare bodkin?c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac...
    • Ped. Now Mr. Office:
      What is the Reason that your vigilant Greatness
      And your Wife's wonderful wiseness have lock'd up from me
      The way to see my Mistress? Who's Dog's dead now,
      That you observe these Vigils?1647–1679, Francis Beaumont, John Fletcher, “A Very Woman”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act III, scene ii
  17. (obsolete) A bodily function, (particularly) urination and defecation; an act of urination or defecation.
    • Cassio.... Whom I, with all the Office of my heart
      Intirely honour[…]c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac...
    • Washing themselves, as they doe also after the offices of Nature.1613, Samuel Purchas, Purchas, His Pilgrimage, page 623
    Synonyms:
    bathroom
  18. (obsolete) The performance of a duty; an instance of performing a duty.
    • […]whan the Quene of riche Arabia sawe all the wyſzdome of Salomon[…]⁊ the offyces of his miniſters, and their garmentes[…]ſhe wondred exceadingly[…]1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, III. Kynges [1...
    • At Rome (nor think me partial to the Poor) / All Offices of ours are out of Door[…]1693, Decimus Junius Juvenalis, John Dryden, transl., “[The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis.] The Satyr”, in The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis. Translated into English Verse. […] Together...

Verb

office (third-person singular simple present offices, present participle officing, simple past and past participle officed)

  1. To provide (someone) with an office.
    • Is he officed in Congressional Relations or is he officed in SCA?1966, United States. Congress. Senate, Hearings - Volume 8, page 451
    • Prior to that time, Station personnel were first officed in temporary wartime barracks on the campus and then on the second floor of the Journalism Building.1976, General Technical Report RM., page 128
  2. (intransitive) To have an office.
    • "I believed that Dave was just doing a favor for his brother," said Somerville, who added that he assumed Lou and Dave officed together.1988 December 2, Grant Pick, “He Survived Operation Greylord”, in Chicago Reader, archived from the original on 03 Dec 2010

Also used as

office is also the abbreviation of Holy Office.

office is also the clipping of inquest of office.

office meaning in Hindi, Tamil, Marathi and Urdu

office in Hindi

room(s) or building used for non-manual work
कार्यालय kāryālay
position of responsibility
पद pad

office in Tamil

room(s) or building used for non-manual work
அலுவலகம் aluvalakam, கந்தோர் kantōr

office in Marathi

room(s) or building used for non-manual work
कार्यालय kāryālay, ऑफिस ŏphis

office in Urdu

room(s) or building used for non-manual work
دَفْتَر daftar, آفِس āfis
position of responsibility
پَد pad
major governmental division
اِدارَہ idāra
More languagesFewer languages
office in Bengali
দপ্তর doptor, অফিস ophiś
office in Telugu
కార్యాలయము kāryālayamu, కార్యస్థానము kāryasthānamu
office in Malayalam
കാര്യാലയം kāryālayaṁ
office in Kannada
ಕಛೇರಿ kachēri
office in Gujarati
કાર્યાલય kāryālya
office in Pashto
دفتر daftar, اداره edāra
office in Tagalog
opisyo, tanggapan, opisina
office in Arabic
مَكْتَب maktab, قَلَم qalam, مَهَمَّة mahamma
office in Malay
pejabat, opis
office in Indonesian
ofisi, kantor, biro
office in Thai
สำนักงาน sǎm-nák-ngaan, สำนัก sǎm-nák, ออฟฟิศ ɔ́ɔp-fít, ที่ทำการ tîi-tam-gaan
office in Vietnamese
văn phòng
office in Myanmar
ရုံး rum:, ဗျူရို byurui, ရုံးခန်း rum:hkan:

Examples of office in a sentence

  • I[…]will be first to render thee the decent offices due to the dead.1822 May 29, [Walter Scott], chapter XI, in The Fortunes of Nigel. […], volume III (in English), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.]...
  • […]in as moche as I am the apoſtle off the gentyls I will magnify myn office[…]1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Romans xj:[13], folio...
  • The Tories had been in office ten years.1923, Rose Macaulay, Told by an Idiot, act III, scene xv, line 227:
  • A woman[…]might bring herself to submit to the offices of a nurse, for the sake of the provision and security of a wife.1811, [Jane Austen], chapter VIII, in Sense and Sensibility […], volume I, London: […] C[harles] Roworth, […], and published by T[homas]...

All 40 example sentences with office

Synonyms of office

6 more synonymsFewer synonyms

All synonyms of office

Forms of office

Noun
pluraloffices
Verb
third-person singular presentoffices
present participleofficing
past participleofficed
pastofficed

Plural of office: offices

Origin of office

From Middle English office, from Old French office, from Latin officium (“personal, official, or moral duty; official position; function; ceremony, esp. last rites”), contracted from opificium (“construction: the act of building or the thing built”), from opifex (“doer of work, craftsman”) + -ium (“-y”, forming actions), from op- (“work”) + -i- (connective) + -fex (combining form of faciō (“to do, to make”)). In the religious sense, Displaced native Old English hād. The computing sense is a genericization of various proprietary program suites, such as Microsoft Office.

Words formed from office

Phrases with office

74 more phrasesFewer phrases

Words that rhyme with office

Questions about office

What does office mean?
Office means a ceremonial duty or service, particularly.
What is office in Hindi?
Office in Hindi is कार्यालय (kāryālay), पद (pad). See Office meaning in Hindi.
How do you use office in a sentence?
I[…]will be first to render thee the decent offices due to the dead.
What part of speech is office?
Office can be a noun or a verb.
How do you pronounce office?
Office is pronounced /ˈɒf.ɪs/ (UK).
What is the plural of office?
The plural of office is offices.

Words near office in the dictionary

  1. offholding
  2. offholds
  3. officah
  4. offical
  5. offically
  6. office
  7. Office action
  8. office automation
  9. office automations
  10. office block
  11. office blocks

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: office (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: en-au-office.ogg, en-us-office.ogg.

Cite this entry: “office.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/office. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.