different between nauseous vs offensive

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?n??z??s/, /?n??s??s/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?n????s/
• (Canada) IPA^(key): /?n????s/

Etymology

From Latin nause?sus (“causing nausea”), corresponding synchronically to nausea +? -ous.

Adjective

nauseous (comparative more nauseous, superlative most nauseous)

1. Causing nausea; sickening or disgusting. [from 17th c.]
   • 1786, Hester Thrale Piozzi, Thraliana, 27 June:

     [T]he Italians grossness of Conversation is still very offensive & nauseous, tho' long accustomed to it.

   • 1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, I:

     And then what proper person can be partial / To all those nauseous epigrams of Martial?

2. (obsolete) Inclined to nausea; sickly, squeamish. [17th c.]
3. (sometimes proscribed) Afflicted with nausea; sick. [from 19th c.]
   • 1848, Samuel Hahnemann, The Chronic Diseases, Their Specific Nature and Their Homeopathic Treatment: Antipsoric Remedies, Volume 2:

     After he had scarcely eaten enough, he felt nauseous; but nausea ceased as soon as he stopped eating entirely, …

   • 1878, The North American Journal of Homeopathy, Volume 27:

     […] during stretching the patient felt nauseous …

   • 2010, Tom Smith, The Guardian, 4 Sep 2010:

     Is it a myth that you shouldn't drink alcohol while taking antibiotics? I often do and haven't felt remotely nauseous.

Usage notes

Some state that nauseous should be used as synonymous with nauseating. AHD4 notes that that in common usage, nauseous is synonymous with nauseated.

Synonyms

• nauseating - causing disgust rather than nausea

Translations

See also

• nauseated - afflicted with nausea
• queasy

English

Alternative forms

• offencive (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle French offensif, from Medieval Latin offensivus, from Latin offendere (“to offend”), past participle offensus; see offend.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??f?ns?v/
• (sports): (US) IPA^(key): /???f?ns?v/

Adjective

offensive (comparative more offensive, superlative most offensive)

1. Causing offense; arousing a visceral reaction of disgust, anger, or hatred.

   Antonym: inoffensive

2. Relating to an offense or attack, as opposed to defensive.

   Antonym: defensive

3. (sports) Having to do with play directed at scoring.

Usage notes

• When the second syllable is emphasized, "offensive" is defined as "insulting". When the first syllable is emphasized, it refers to the attacker in a conflict or a sport.
• Nouns to which "offensive" is often applied: content, material, language, word, comment, remark, statement, speech, joke, humor, image, picture, art, behavior, conduct, act, action.

Synonyms

• aggressive
• invidious (Intending to cause envious offense)

Derived terms

Related terms

• offend
• offense

Translations

Noun

offensive (countable and uncountable, plural offensives)

1. (countable, military) An attack.

2. (uncountable) The posture of attacking or being able to attack.

Derived terms

Translations

Further reading

• offensive in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• offensive in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Danish

Adjective

offensive

1. plural and definite singular attributive of offensiv

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?.f??.siv/
• Homophone: offensives

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

offensive f (plural offensives)

1. (military) offensive (an attack)

Descendants

• ? German: Offensive

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the main entry.

Adjective

offensive

1. feminine singular of offensif

Further reading

• “offensive” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

German

Pronunciation

Adjective

offensive

1. inflection of offensiv:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /of.fen?si.ve/
• Hyphenation: of?fen?sì?ve
• Rhymes: -ive

Adjective

offensive

1. feminine plural of offensivo

Noun

offensive f

1. plural of offensiva

Norwegian Bokmål

Adjective

offensive

1. definite singular/plural of offensiv

Norwegian Nynorsk

Adjective

offensive

1. definite singular/plural of offensiv