office

noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin officium service, duty, office, from opus work + facere to make, do — more at operate, do Date: 13th century 1. 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 b. a position of responsibility or some degree of executive authority 2. [Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin officium, from Latin] a prescribed form or service of worship; specifically capitalized Divine Office 3. a religious or social ceremonial observance ; rite 4. 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 5. a place where a particular kind of business is transacted or a service is supplied: as a. a place in which the functions of a public officer are performed b. the directing headquarters of an enterprise or organization c. the place in which a professional person conducts business 6. 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 <

British Foreign Office

> b. a subdivision of some government departments <

Patent Office

> Synonyms: see function