{
    "term": "official",
    "partOfSpeech": "adjective",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "agreed to, said, done, etc. by somebody who is in a position of authority",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "an official announcement/decision/statement"
                },
                {
                    "text": "according to **official figures/statistics**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The news is not yet official."
                },
                {
                    "text": "the official biography of the President"
                },
                {
                    "text": "An official inquiry has been launched into the cause of the accident."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The country's **official language** is Spanish."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The film's **official website** is also very informative."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I intend to lodge an official complaint *(= to complain to somebody in authority)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The report revealed official corruption in relation to road building."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The official news agency reported an attack by rebel soldiers."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Greater vigilance at the official and unofficial points of entry into the country is required."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The network's official launch is scheduled for this month."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The research used material from official documents and newspaper reports."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The views expressed in this essay are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect official government policy."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Rice prices are up by as much as 13 percent, according to official reports."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There have been rumours that he is resigning, and today he made it official."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "connected with the job of somebody who is in a position of authority",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "official duties/responsibilities"
                },
                {
                    "text": "the Prime Minister’s **official residence**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He attended in his official capacity as mayor."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This was her first official engagement."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He made an **official visit** to Tokyo in March."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He stepped into the waiting official car."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The minister was in Berlin on official business."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The Prime Minister's official spokesman rejected calls for an inquiry."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "formal and attended by people in authority",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "an official function/reception"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The **official opening** is planned for October."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "that is told to the public but may not be true",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I only knew the official version of events."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The **official line** is that the date for the election has not yet been decided."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The official story has always been that they are just good friends."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "used to announce publicly something that you think is obvious or that everyone already knows",
            "labels": "(informal, humorous)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "It's official: this is the worst zombie film ever."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈfɪʃl/",
                "audio": "of/official/official__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈfɪʃl/",
                "audio": "of/official/official__us_4.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English (originally as a noun): via Old French from Latin officialis, from officium ‘performance of a task’ (in medieval Latin also ‘office, divine service’), based on opus ‘work’ + facere ‘do’."
}