Meaning & Definition of Unofficial in English

Detailed Definitions

• Definition: Not officially authorized or sanctioned.

  Example Sentence: The meeting was unofficial and not documented.

• Definition: Informal or not legitimate.

  Example Sentence: He provided unofficial information about the project.

• Definition: Unrecognized by official standards.

  Example Sentence: They have an unofficial status in the community.

• Definition: Related to something but not a part of the official structure.

  Example Sentence: She was an unofficial spokesperson for the group.

Etymology

Origin: Combination of 'un-' meaning 'not' and 'official' from Middle French 'officiel'.

Synonyms

Common Phrases and Expressions

• unofficial records: Records not recognized by the formal authority.
• unofficial trip: A trip taken without formal approval or arrangement.
• unofficial spokesperson: A person speaking on behalf of a group without formal consent.

Translations

• Spanish: no oficial

• French: non officiel

• German: nicht offiziell

• Russian: неофициальный

Related Words

• official: Recognized as being authorized or sanctioned by an authority.

• authoritative: Able to be trusted as being accurate or true; reliable.

Slang Meanings of unofficial

• Meaning: Not legit

  Example Sentence: That event was just an unofficial party, not a real concert.

• Meaning: Word of mouth

  Example Sentence: I heard it from an unofficial source, so take it with a grain of salt.