different between offensive vs offend

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

English

Etymology

From Middle French offendre, from Latin offend? (“strike, blunder, commit an offense”), from ob- (“against”) + *fend? (“strike”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??f?nd/
• Hyphenation: of?fend
• Rhymes: -?nd

Verb

offend (third-person singular simple present offends, present participle offending, simple past and past participle offended)

1. (transitive) To hurt the feelings of; to displease; to make angry; to insult.
   • 1995 September, The Playboy Interview: Cindy Crawford, Playboy

     One day my girlfriend, her boyfriend and I were sunbathing topless because that's Barbados - you can wear nothing if you want. And the Pepsi guy walks up and with my agent to meet us for lunch. I wondered if I should put on my top because I have a business relationship with him. I didn't want him to get offended because the rest of the beach had seen me with my top off.

2. (intransitive) To feel or become offended; to take insult.

3. (transitive) To physically harm, pain.

4. (transitive) To annoy, cause discomfort or resent.

5. (intransitive) To sin, transgress divine law or moral rules.
6. (transitive) To transgress or violate a law or moral requirement.
7. (obsolete, transitive, archaic, biblical) To cause to stumble; to cause to sin or to fall.
   • 1896, Adolphus Frederick Schauffler, Select Notes on the International Sunday School Lessons, W. A. Wilde company, Page 161,

     "If any man offend not (stumbles not, is not tripped up) in word, the same is a perfect man."

   • New Testament, Matthew 5:29 (Sermon on the Mount),

     "If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out."

Quotations

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:offend.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:offend

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Further reading

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

Anagrams

• end off