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offendo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word offendo

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Ennius
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*gʷʰen-)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ɔfˈfɛn.doː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ofˈfɛn.do][1]

Forms

offendō (present infinitive offendere, perfect active offendī, supine offēnsum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from ob- “against” and a verb *fendō “to strike”, also in dēfendō, from Proto-Italic *fendō, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰen- (“to strike, kill”).[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Ennius, of coming upon someone, and Plautus, of striking against something.[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant to strike against, bump into, as Quintilian's striking one's head on an arch, to knock a part of the body, and to strike someone a blow.[2][4] Intransitively it meant to strike against something, stumble, of a ship to run aground, and to meet with a setback, as in Varro.[2] It meant to come upon, find, as in Ennius and Plautus, and to find something amiss.[2] It meant to cause pain or discomfort, to harm, and to break a rule, offend against a person or law, and in Cicero and later to give offence, displease, annoy, and in the passive to take offence.[2] Döderlein explains that laedere is a physical injury, violāre an injury to rights, offendere an injury to feelings.[5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to err, offend, stumble, strike against.[6] English offend came in the early 14th century, first meaning to sin against someone, and English offense from its derivative offēnsa.[7]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of coming upon.[2][3]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of striking against.[2][3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of giving offence.[2][3]
  • early 14th century – English offend is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To strike against, bump into; to knock; to strike.[2]
  2. To stumble; of a ship, to run aground; to meet with a setback.[2]
  3. To come upon, find; to find amiss.[2]
  4. To trouble, hurt; to harm, spoil.[2]
  5. To err; to offend against, violate.[2]
  6. To give offence, displease, annoy, (passive) to take offence.[2]

Word family

  • inoffēnsus
  • offendiculum
  • offendimentum
  • offēnsa
  • offensibilis
  • offēnsiō
  • offēnsō
  • offensor
  • offēnsus
  • suboffendō

Usage notes

Afranius, quoted by Nonius, has a rare noun offendō, -inis “an offence”.[4][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Offendo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/offendo. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·