Officiels

Officiels is the plural form of the French noun and adjective officiel. In general usage, it refers to persons who hold an officially recognized position or whose actions are authorized by a governing authority. The term derives from the Latin officium through Old French, with meanings connected to duty and office.

As a noun, un officiel or des officiels denotes an individual in an official capacity. This can include government officials (for example ministers, préfets, ambassadors), civil servants, corporate officers, or representatives of institutions. As an adjective, officiel describes something related to an office or to formal authority, as in documents officiels or décisions officielles, and it agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies.

In sports and public events, the plural officiels may be used to refer to officials who oversee procedures and enforce rules, such as referees, judges, or timekeepers, depending on the context and language style.

Usage varies by register. In formal writing, more precise terms such as fonctionnaire (civil servant), dirigeant (executive), or agent may be preferred. In everyday language and media, officiels remains common for referring to people in positions of authority, though it can be ambiguous without further specification.

See also: official, officiel (adjective), fonctionnaire, arbitre.