Bureau/ˈbjʊrəʊ/ Definition 1 of 3Pro Tip 1/3Government Agencies Often refers to official government departments or divisions. He submitted his documents to the immigration bureau for processing. Pro Tip 2/3Service Specific A bureau usually specializes in a specific service or function. The travel bureau offers detailed tourist information. Pro Tip 3/3Formal Context Used in formal or official contexts, not typically in casual conversation. The census bureau collects data about the population every ten years.