noun
functionary
FUNGK-shuh-nair-ee/ˈfʌŋkʃəneri/
An official who performs routine administrative duties.
A city functionary checks each application before issuing a permit.
Etymology
A function was the performance of assigned work, so a functionary was someone holding an office with particular duties. The selected sense emphasizes routine duties and limited authority.
In context
A quarter of an hour later I was sitting in the private office of the shrewd, gray-haired functionary who had sent this messenger to me.
More examples
- Several functionaries handle the paperwork for the committee.
- The functionary at the front desk directs us to the correct office.
- Even a minor functionary can delay the approval process.
Forms
functionary · functionaries
Similar words
- official
- Broader term covering positions of authority beyond routine administration.
- bureaucrat
- Emphasizes work within a bureaucracy, often suggesting rigid procedures.
- clerk
- Emphasizes recordkeeping or paperwork rather than holding an official position.