ex officio

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Ex officio is a Latin term that means “by virtue of the office.” The term denotes a job or task assigned to someone as a result of another title they hold. For example, a CEO may be a member of a company board of directors automatically, or the Vice President of the U.S. presides over the U.S. Senate on certain matters as part of being Vice President. An ex officio role can be as minimal as serving a ceremonial position, or the role can be as high as a managerial position. 

[Last updated in July of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]