Bureau vs. Office — What's the Difference?

A desk or office; in some contexts, refers to furniture.

A position of authority or service, typically within an organization.

An administrative division focused on a particular area.

The place where a particular business or service is conducted.

A government department or unit providing specific services.

An administrative unit in an organization.

An agency specializing in certain functions within an organization.

A room, set of rooms, or building used for professional or clerical work.

An office or agency representing a country abroad.

The services provided by a professional person or organization.

A chest of drawers, especially a dresser for holding clothes.

An office is generally a building, room or other area where an organization's employees perform administrative work in order to support and realize objects and goals of the organization. The word "office" may also denote a position within an organization with specific duties attached to it (see officer, office-holder, official); the latter is in fact an earlier usage, office as place originally referring to the location of one's duty.

Chiefly British A writing desk or writing table with drawers.

A place in which business, clerical, or professional activities are conducted.

A government department or a subdivision of a department.

The administrative personnel, executives, or staff working in such a place

An office, usually of a large organization, that is responsible for a specific duty

A subdivision of a governmental department

A business that offers information of a specified kind

A major executive division of a government

An administrative unit of government; office.

A position of authority, duty, or trust given to a person, as in a government or corporation

An organization or office for collecting or providing information or news.

Public position

An office room where clerical or professional duties are performed.

A duty or function assigned to or assumed by someone

A desk, usually with a cover and compartments that are located above the level of the writing surface rather than underneath, and often used for storing papers.

Often offices A service or beneficial act done for another

(US) A chest of drawers for clothes.

The canonical hours.

Originally, a desk or writing table with drawers for papers.

A prayer service in the Anglican Church, such as Morning or Evening Prayer.

The place where such a bureau is used; an office where business requiring writing is transacted.

A ceremony, rite, or service for a special purpose, especially the Office of the Dead.

Hence: A department of public business requiring a force of clerks; the body of officials in a department who labor under the direction of a chief.

Offices Chiefly British The parts of a house, such as the laundry and kitchen, in which servants carry out household work.

A chest of drawers for clothes, especially when made as an ornamental piece of furniture.

A ceremonial duty or service, particularly:

An administrative unit of government;

The authorized form of ceremonial worship of a church.

Furniture with drawers for keeping clothes

Any special liturgy, as the Office for the Dead or of the Virgin.

A daily service without the eucharist.

The daily service of the breviary, the liturgy for each canonical hour, including psalms, collects, and lessons.

Various prayers used with modification as a morning or evening service.

Last rites.

Mass, the introit sung at its beginning.

A position of responsibility.

Official position, particularly high employment within government; tenure in such a position.

A duty, particularly owing to one's position or station; a charge, trust, or role; moral duty.

Function: anything typically done by or expected of something.

A service, a kindness.

Inside information.

A room, set of rooms, or building used for non-manual work, particularly:

A room, set of rooms, or building used for administration and bookkeeping.

A room, set of rooms, or building used for selling services or tickets to the public.

A room, set of rooms, or building used for consultation and diagnosis, but not surgery or other major procedures.

The staff of such places.

The administrative departments housed in such places, particularly:

A ministry or other department of government.

Short for Holy Office: the court of final appeal in cases of heresy.

A particular place of business of a larger white-collar business.

The parts of a house or estate devoted to manual work and storage, as the kitchen, scullery, laundry, stables, etc., particularly a house or estate's facilities for urination and defecation: outhouses or lavatories.

Clipping of inquest of office: an inquest undertaken on occasions when the Crown claimed the right of possession to land or property.

A piece of land used for hunting; the area of land overseen by a gamekeeper.

A hangout: a place where one is normally found.

A plane's cockpit, particularly an observer's cockpit.

A collection of business software typically including a word processor and spreadsheet and slideshow programs.

An official or group of officials; a personification of officeholders.

A bodily function, urination and defecation; an act of urination or defecation.

The performance of a duty; an instance of performing a duty.

To provide (someone) with an office.

(intransitive) To have an office.

That which a person does, either voluntarily or by appointment, for, or with reference to, others; customary duty, or a duty that arises from the relations of man to man; as, kind offices, pious offices.

A special duty, trust, charge, or position, conferred by authority and for a public purpose; a position of trust or authority; as, an executive or judical office; a municipal office.

A charge or trust, of a sacred nature, conferred by God himself; as, the office of a priest under the old dispensation, and that of the apostles in the new.

That which is performed, intended, or assigned to be done, by a particular thing, or that which anything is fitted to perform; a function; - answering to duty in intelligent beings.

The place where any kind of business or service for others is transacted; a building, suite of rooms, or room in which public officers or workers in any organization transact business; as, the register's office; a lawyer's office; the doctor's office; the Mayor's office.

The company or corporation, or persons collectively, whose place of business is in an office; as, I have notified the office.

The apartments or outhouses in which the domestics discharge the duties attached to the service of a house, as kitchens, pantries, stables, etc.

Any service other than that of ordination and the Mass; any prescribed religious service.

To perform, as the duties of an office; to discharge.

Place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed;

An administrative unit of government;

The actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group;

(of a government or government official) holding an office means being in power;

Professional or clerical workers in an office;

A religious rite or service prescribed by ecclesiastical authorities;

A job in an organization;

Yes, "office" can also refer to a position of authority or a role that entails specific responsibilities within an organization.

The purpose of a bureau is centered on its specialized administrative or operational functions, while an office serves as a space for carrying out work and professional activities.

The design and layout of an office can significantly affect productivity, employee satisfaction, and the overall efficiency of work performed within it.

A bureau is a specific administrative unit focusing on certain functions, whereas an office is a place where professional or clerical duties are conducted.

While bureaus focus on specialized administrative tasks, they may operate within offices that serve as their physical locations for carrying out these tasks.

Yes, a bureau can have multiple offices under its jurisdiction, each handling different aspects of the bureau's overall function.

Yes, a small business can be considered an office if it encompasses a space where professional or clerical work is performed.

Not necessarily; offices can exist independently of bureaus, serving as workplaces for various types of businesses and organizations.

While bureaus are often associated with government, they can also exist within large corporations or organizations, focusing on specific functions or services.

In public service, a bureau typically handles specific administrative duties, offering specialized services or functions to the public.