officieux

unofficial

adjective oh-fee-SYEH Rare

Origin: From Latin 'officiosus' (dutiful), repurposed in French to mean not formally authorised.

Also means

semi-official

Usage Note

Officieux is a false friend for English speakers: it does NOT mean 'officious' (meddlesome). In French it means unofficial or informal, contrasting with officiel. The phrase à titre officieux means 'in an unofficial capacity'. In older usage it could also mean obliging or eager to please, but this sense is now archaic.

Examples

"Cette information est encore officieuse."

Natural Translation

This information is still unofficial.

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