'officious' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'officiosus', where 'officium' meant 'duty' or 'service' and the suffix '-osus' meant 'full of'.

'officium' in Latin gave rise to the Late Latin adjective 'officiosus'; this passed into Old French as 'officieux' and then into English as 'officious' in the early modern period.

Initially, it meant 'dutiful, obliging, ready to help,' but over time it developed a negative sense of 'intrusively eager to help' or 'meddlesome,' which is the common modern meaning.