/ əˈfɪʃəs; NAmE / adjective
( disapproving ) too ready to tell people what to do or to use the power you have to give orders
SYN self-important :
a nasty officious little man
► of·fi·cious·ly adverb :
'You can't park here,' he said officiously.
► of·fi·cious·ness noun [ U ]
••
WORD ORIGIN
late 15th cent.: from Latin officiosus obliging, from officium performance of a task (in medieval Latin also office, divine service), based on opus work + facere do. The original sense was performing its function, effective , which led to the meaning ready to help or please (mid 16th cent.), that later became depreciatory (late 16th cent.).