Offence

How to spell offence

7 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce offence

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does offence mean?

1. nounA breach of a law or rule; an illegal act.
2. nounAnnoyance, resentment, or hurt caused by a remark or action.

Offence in a sentence

• Driving without insurance is a serious offence in this country.

• She meant no offence when she questioned the report.

• The court treated it as a first offence and imposed a small fine.

• He took offence at the joke and left the dinner early.

Where does offence come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word reaches English from the Latin verb offendere, which literally meant 'to strike against' or 'to knock into', built from the prefix ob- 'against' and fendere 'to strike or beat'. The related Latin noun offensa described a stumble, a wrong, or an injury given to another person, and that double idea of a physical knock and a moral or social wound carried straight into the modern senses. The word travelled into English through Old French ofense during the 1300s, where it already covered both a breach of the law and the hurt feelings caused by an insult. The same fendere root is hiding inside 'defend' (to strike away from) and 'fence' (originally a shortening of 'defence'), which is a useful reminder of why offence ends in -ence rather than -ense. The British and Canadian spelling keeps that French-influenced -ce ending, while American English reshaped it to offense with -se.

How the word is built

• of- (from Latin ob-, against)
• -fence (from fendere, to strike)
• -ce (noun ending)

British and American spelling

Offence is the British spelling. American English spells it offense.