Meaning & Definition of word "Office"

Office

/ˈɒf.ɪs/

noun:

  • 1. A room, set of rooms, or building used as a place for commercial, professional, or bureaucratic work.
    • Example: She works in a spacious office on the third floor of the building.
  • 2. A position of authority or trust.
    • Example: He was elected to the office of mayor after a closely contested election.
  • 3. A department or branch of a business.
    • Example: The accounting office is responsible for managing the company’s finances.
  • 4. The administrative work or tasks performed in an organization.
    • Example: The office is currently implementing new policies to improve efficiency.

Etymology

From Middle French 'office', from Latin 'officium', meaning 'duty, service, function'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

office hours:

The hours during which a business office is open to the public.

office space:

Physical space used for work in an office setting.

in office:

Currently holding a position of authority or service.

out of office:

Not currently available to respond to work-related matters.

Related Words

clerk:

A person employed in an office to keep records or accounts.

administration:

The activities of a government or organization in the management of its operations.

executive:

A person with senior managerial responsibility in a business.

Slang Meanings of office

Meaning: Cubicle farm

Example Sentence: I work in a cubicle farm where everyone is crammed together.

Meaning: Water cooler talk

Example Sentence: They were having another round of water cooler talk in the office.

Meaning: Nine-to-five

Example Sentence: I prefer the nine-to-five grind over the unpredictable freelance life.