Etymologically
Log in

offer

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 15 October 2026 at 14:59. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA: UK /ˈɒf.ə/, US /ˈɑː.fɚ/[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English offren, inherited from Old English offrian (“to bring forward; to sacrifice”),[2][3][4] an early Germanic borrowing borrowed from Late Latin offerre (“to present in worship”),[5][6] from Latin offerre (“to present, bestow, bring before”),[2][4] from ob- (“to, toward”) and ferre (“to bring, carry”),[2][4][7] from Proto-Indo-European *bher- (“to carry”).[2][4] The religious word spread to Old Frisian, Dutch and Old Norse with Christianity.[2][8] The non-religious senses come from or were reinforced by Old French offrir (“to offer”).[2][4][6] The noun is Middle English offre, from Old French offre, from offrir.[2][6][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

“To present as a sacrifice, bestow in worship”: before 830, in the Vespasian Psalter,[3] or about 825 in the OED.[9] Middle English offren is from before 1121, in the Peterborough Chronicle.[3]

Semantic evolution

Old English offrian also meant “to bring forward, show”.[2] “To present for acceptance or refusal” is from the early 15th century[2] or the 14th century.[5] “To propose to do” is from the 15th century,[5] and “to attempt to do” from the 1530s.[2] The commercial sense “to expose for sale” is from the 1630s.[2] The noun, a proposal presented for acceptance, is from the early 15th century[2] or 1433,[9] and the native noun is offering.[2] A proposal of marriage is from before 1548,[9] and a bid of a price from the 1540s.[2][9] On offer, for sale, is from 1794.[9]

Timeline

  • before 830 – to offer in worship.[3]
  • early 15th century – to present for acceptance; noun, a proposal.[2]
  • before 1548 – a proposal of marriage.[9]
  • 1540s – a bid.[2]
  • 1530s – to attempt.[2]
  • 1630s – to put up for sale.[2]
  • 1794 – on offer.[9]

Modern meaning

Verb

  1. To present for acceptance or refusal.
  2. To put forward for consideration; to propose.
  3. To provide or make available; to put up for sale.
  4. To propose as payment; to bid.
  5. To present as an act of worship.
  6. To show readiness to do something.

Noun

  1. Something offered, such as a proposal or bid.
  2. A proposal which, if accepted, makes a binding contract.
  3. The condition of being offered for sale.

Word family

  • offerer
  • offerable
  • counteroffer
  • reoffer
  • tender offer
  • offering
  • offertory
  • oblate
  • oblation
  • proffer
  • confer
  • defer
  • differ
  • infer
  • prefer
  • refer
  • suffer
  • transfer
  • bear

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b c d Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  4. ^ a b c d e The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2000), 4th ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  5. ^ a b c Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  7. ^ a b Klein, Ernest. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. 2 vols. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1966–1967.
  8. ^ Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press