Definition of OFFICE (original) (raw)
1
: a place where a particular kind of business is transacted or a service is supplied: such as
a
: a place in which the functions of a public officer are performed
the Social Security office
b
: the directing headquarters of an enterprise or organization
the company's main/home office
c
: the place (such as a building or suite) in which a professional person conducts business
went to the doctor's office
d
: a room in which people work at desks doing business or professional activities
an office with rows of cubicles
—often used before another noun
office workers/staff
office equipment/supplies
see also [office supplies](/dictionary/office supply)
2
a
: a special duty, charge, or position conferred by an exercise of governmental authority and for a public purpose : a position of authority to exercise a public function and to receive whatever emoluments may belong to it
has been in office for a decade
will take/leave office next month
was elected to a two-year term of office
plans to run for office [=campaign to be elected to an office]
b
: a position of responsibility or some degree of executive authority
3
: a prescribed form or service of worship
4
: a religious or social ceremonial observance : rite
5
a
: something that one ought to do or must do : an assigned or assumed duty, task, or role
b
: the proper or customary action of something : function
c
: something done for another : service
6
offices plural, chiefly British : the apartments, attached buildings, or outhouses in which the activities attached to the service of a house are carried on
7
a
: a major administrative unit in some governments
b
: a subdivision of some government departments
Synonyms of office
Choose the Right Synonym for office
the function of language is two-fold: to communicate emotion and to give information —
Aldous Huxley
office is typically applied to the function or service associated with a trade or profession or a special relationship to others.
they exercise the offices of the judge, the priest, the counsellor —W. E. Gladstone
duty applies to a task or responsibility imposed by one's occupation, rank, status, or calling.
it is the judicial duty of the court, to examine the whole case —R. B. Taney
province applies to a function, office, or duty that naturally or logically falls to one.
I felt it was not my province to inquire —Anne Brontë
Examples of office in a Sentence
She works at our Chicago office. Are you going to the office today? The supervisor held an informal meeting in his office. Her office is on the top floor near the elevator. He misbehaved in class and was sent to the principal's office. We use the extra bedroom in our house as an office. We stopped by the lawyer's office to pick up some documents. He has been in office for a decade. He was voted out of office. He won the election and will take office at the beginning of the year.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Honduran companies behind the mine — Inversiones Los Pinares, Inversiones Ecotek and their parent company — face prosecution for the mine’s environmental destruction, launched by the Honduran public prosecutor’s office shortly after López’s killing. —Marlon González, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026 The sides parted on good terms, and Morey is expected to seek other NBA front-office opportunities in the future. —Tony Jones, New York Times, 13 May 2026 After all, plenty of the lawmakers who voted for the bill got into office winning votes from a majority of those who cast ballots on election day, not a majority of all voters in their districts. —Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 May 2026 If Starmer decides to leave office immediately, the Cabinet and Labour’s governing body would likely pick an interim leader to be prime minister, probably someone not running to be Labour leader. —ABC News, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for office
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, "position of authority, duties of a position, proper function, ecclesiastical service, space used for business or domestic functions," borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin officium "beneficial act in fulfillment of an obligation, duty, functions in a position, post" (Late Latin, "ecclesiastical service"), contraction of opificium (attested in sense "constructive work"), from opi- (base of opis, *ops "power, ability" and oper-, opus "work, effort") + facere "to make, do, bring about" + -ium, deverbal suffix of function or state — more at opus, do entry 1
Note: Though officium is formally a contraction of opificium, their senses diverge, the latter noun maintaining a transparent relation to the agent noun opifex "craftsman, artificer."
First Known Use
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a
Time Traveler
The first known use of office was in the 13th century
Browse Nearby Words
Cite this Entry
“Office.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/office. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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