Official
An
official is someone who holds an office (function or
mandate, regardless of whether it carries an actual
working space with it) in an
organization or government and participates in the exercise of
authority (either their own or that of their superior or employer, public or legally private). An elected official is a person who is an official by virtue of an
election. Officials may also be appointed ''
ex officio'' (by virtue of another office, often in a specified capacity, such as presiding, advisory, secretary). Some official positions may be
inherited. A person who currently holds an office is referred to as an
incumbent. Something "official" refers to something endowed with governmental or other authoritative recognition or mandate, as in
official language,
official gazette, or
official scorer.
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