ex officio
/,eksə'fiʃiou/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- By virtue of or because of an office or position: Holding a certain role or status automatically confers specific rights, responsibilities, or membership.
- Adverb:
- By virtue of position: In a manner that is a consequence of holding a particular office or role.
Usage
- The term is used to describe a power, duty, or membership that is automatically attached to a specific job title or official position, rather than being separately appointed or elected.
- It is often used in formal, legal, or organizational contexts (e.g., corporate boards, government committees, academic institutions).
Examples
- Adjective:
- The company's CEO is an ex officio member of the board of trustees.
- The dean serves as an ex officio chair of the academic council.
- Adverb:
- She attends all finance committee meetings ex officio.
- The mayor, ex officio, has a vote on the planning commission.
Advanced Usage
- Ex officio authority: Authority that is inherent to a position.
- The secretary has ex officio authority to certify the minutes of the meeting.
- Ex officio capacity: Acting or participating solely because of one's official role.
- He was present in an ex officio capacity, not as an elected representative.
Variants and Related Words
- De facto: In fact, in reality (often contrasted with , by law). While related to existing status, it is not synonymous with , which is specifically tied to an official position.
- By virtue of: On account of; because of. This is the general phrase from which the specific legal term is derived.
Synonyms
- By right of office
- By virtue of one's position
- Automatically (in this specific context)
Antonyms
- Ad hoc: For a specific purpose or situation; not planned in advance. (Indicates a role created for a specific need, not inherent to a position.)
- Appointed: Chosen for a role, not automatic.
Related Phrases
- Ex officio member: A member of a body due to holding another office.
- The vice president is an ex officio member of the senate.
- Ex officio chair/chairman: The person who chairs a committee because of their primary office.
- As the senior professor, she is the ex officio chair of the promotions committee.
Adjective
- by virtue of an office or position
- the head of the department serves as an ex officio member of the board
Adverb
- by virtue of position
- the president sat on the committee ex officio