Offense or Offence? And Why It Is Also a Sports Term
An offence is a crime or something that causes hurt feelings. American English spells it with an s and also uses it for the attacking side in sport.
An offence is a breach of law, or something that causes hurt or anger. American English spells it *offense*, and adds a sporting sense the British do not use: the offense is the attacking unit of a team, stressed on the first syllable, OFF-ense.
- A crime. *A driving offence.*
- Something that causes hurt feelings. *No offence intended.*
- The attacking side (American sport). *The offense scored twice.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun (UK) | offence | A minor offence. |
| Noun (US) | offense | A federal offense. |
| Verb | offend | It offended him. |
| Adjective | offensive | An offensive remark. |
| Noun | offensive | A military offensive. |
How it is used in a sentence
- It is an offence to park here.Legal use.
- No offence, but that is not what I asked.A phrase that reliably precedes offence.
- Their offense is the best in the league.American sport.
Kinds of offence in law
- Summary offence — tried in a magistrates' court
- Indictable offence — tried before a jury
- Either-way offence — can go to either court, in England and Wales
- Strict liability — no intention needs to be proved
- Misdemeanour and felony — the American division by seriousness
From Old French *offense*, from Latin *offensa*, a striking against, from *offendere*, to strike against. The same verb gives *offend* and *offensive*.
Offence or offense?
Offence in British and Commonwealth English, offense in American. Both use offensive for the adjective.
Does *no offence* work?
Rarely. It signals that something offensive is coming, which is why it so often makes matters worse.