offend
/əˈfɛnd/
verb
Origin
Latin
offendere — to strike against, stumble, or assault
Overview
Meaning Now
- To cause someone to feel resentful, upset, or annoyed, typically as a result of a perceived insult or disrespectful action.
- To commit an illegal act or transgression; to violate a law, rule, or moral principle.
Literal older meaning
to strike against
Language path
Latin → Old French → English
Earliest form
offenden
Earliest period
late 14th century
Journey
The term originally carried a physical sense of 'striking against' an obstacle or tripping (a sense preserved in the related word 'defend', which shares the 'fendere' root meaning 'to strike'). Over time, it evolved from literal physical collision to moral and social transgressions.
Evolution
- Latin
offendere
“to knock against, to blunder”
- Old French
offendre
“to strike against, to hurt, to offend”
- Middle English
offenden
“to sin, to wound, to insult”
Connections
Word parts
ob-
prefix
against
fendere
root
to strike
Related across languages
French
offenser
to offend
Spanish
ofender
to offend
Explore next
Related to offend
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.