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Functionary: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Functionary noun. An official, especially a minor one who carries out orders without much power.
How to say it
FUNK-shuh-nuh-ree/ˈfʌŋkʃ(ə)n(ə)ri/
4 syllables, stressed on the first (FUNK).
Functionary in a sentence
A grey party functionary read the statement without looking up.
We were passed from one functionary to the next until the office closed.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- official
- bureaucrat
- apparatchik
- clerk
Where functionary comes from
From French fonctionnaire, the holder of an office.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
We were passed from one _____ to the next until the office closed.
- jargon
- functionary
- acumen
Show the answer
functionary: We were passed from one functionary to the next until the office closed.