unofficial
|un/of/fi/cial|
B2
/ˌʌnəˈfɪʃəl/
not officially recognized
Etymology
Etymology Information
'unofficial' originates from the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and the word 'official' from Latin 'officialis', meaning 'pertaining to duty or service'.
Historical Evolution
'officialis' transformed into the Old French word 'official', and eventually became the modern English word 'official'. The prefix 'un-' was added to form 'unofficial'.
Meaning Changes
Initially, 'official' meant 'pertaining to duty or service', and 'unofficial' evolved to mean 'not having official authority or sanction'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not having official authority or sanction.
The meeting was unofficial, so no minutes were recorded.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:39