officiousness
1
9.2
- noun
- /əˈfɪʃəsnəs/
:
oficiosidad
- The receptionist's officiousness made it clear that she believed her help was essential, even when it wasn't needed.
Examples
-
His constant interruptions revealed a certain officiousness that annoyed everyone in the meeting.
-
The commander led the way down a hall, bustling with the officiousness of an unimportant cog in a large machine.
Fiction book (1991) -
I wasn't nearly as amused by Rogers's officiousness.
Fiction book (1990) -
It is truly strange that there is such extreme resistance by these officials to get the proper vote count and to resort to bureaucratic officiousness.
Blog text (14) -
In an incredible bout of British bureaucratic officiousness, they offered the tube map at 100 per impression—an offer my publisher was only too keen to refuse.
Blog text (10) -
The best corner, in fact, for affecting officiousness while nudging surreptitiously out from behind the underwear that insisted on catching up beneath the folds of that stiff mourning dress she hardly ever wore.
Fiction book (1996) -
During the party, her officiousness was evident as she kept offering unsolicited advice on how to arrange the decorations.
Synonyms
3
7.2
The act of entering or interfering in someone's private life without being invited
3
8.8
Care and worry that people show for someone, often more than needed
1
8.4
The act of trying too hard and causing problems
1
6.1
Trying too hard to make people do something and annoying them
1
5.1
Being too interested in other people's private lives
A habit of interfering in other people's affairs
Antonyms
How Intrusive
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word officiousness comes from the Latin word officium, which meant 'duty' or 'service' and is related to the common word office. It originally meant being ready to help or do your duty, but over time it came to mean being too eager to help or giving unwanted advice, which is why officiousness describes intrusive, unwanted help.