officiate

The story

1. Medieval Latin · borrowed fromofficiātus“monk in charge of a monastic office, official (start of 12th c., 14th in British sources)”
2. Latin · derived fromofficium“official duty, service”
3. Medieval Latin · borrowed fromofficiō“to officiate, say mass (9th cent.); to serve a church (13th cent.); to serve (early 13th c., 14th in British sources); to discharge an office (14th c.)”
4. Late Latin · borrowed fromofficior“to perform a function”
5. Latin · borrowed fromofficiātus
6. English todayofficiate

Borrowed from Latin officiātus, perfect participle of Late Latin officior (“to perform a function”) and of Medieval Latin officiō (“to officiate, say mass (9th cent.); to serve a church (13th cent.); to serve (early 13th c., 14th in British sources); to discharge an office (14th c.)”), from Latin officium (“official duty, service”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). The noun is derived from Medieval Latin officiātus (“monk in charge of a monastic office, official (start of 12th c., 14th in British sources)”), substantivized from the participle, see -ate (noun-forming suffix).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 1615 To perform the functions of some office.
• from 1884 To serve as umpire or referee.