Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “unofficially” come from?

Unofficially derives from English unofficial, from Latin officialis meaning "of or relating to duty," itself from Latin officium, combining Latin unus meaning "one" with Latin ops meaning "work" and the suffix -alis.

unofficially (English): In a way that is not official

Definitions

  1. In a way that is not official

Ancestry of “unofficially”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishunofficialNot officially established; Not acting with...
2EnglishofficialOf or pertaining to an office or public trust;...
3Middle EnglishofficialAn underling of a member of the clergy, often...
4Old Frenchofficialcourt official; chamber pot; official; certified...
5Latinofficiālis—
6Latinofficiumduty, service; office; obligation, an obligatory...
7Latinopificiumwork
8LatinopifexSomeone who does work ; worker, maker, framer,...
9LatinOpsearth goddess, fertility deity
10Latinoscenany bird by whose song cries augurs divined...
11Latinopscen—
12Latinob-towards; against
13Latinobolusobolus
14Ancient Greekὀβολόςobol, obolus, used at Athens as both a weight and...
15Ancient Greekὀβελόςa spit, rod; a horizontal line
16Ancient Greekβέλοςmissile, arrow, dart; weapon; something quickly...
Every word from Ancient Greek βέλος →