Offender

Pronunciation: /əˈfɛndər/

Definitions of offender

noun a person who has committed a crime or wrongdoing

Example Sentences

A1 The police caught the offender who stole the purse.

A2 The offender was sentenced to community service for their crime.

B1 The offender was given a warning by the judge for their actions.

B2 The offender's criminal record was brought up during the trial.

C1 The offender's lawyer argued for a reduced sentence based on their circumstances.

C2 The offender showed no remorse for their actions in court.

Examples of offender in a Sentence

formal The offender was sentenced to five years in prison for their crimes.

informal The police caught the offender red-handed during the robbery.

slang That offender is always up to no good.

figurative The offender's actions cast a dark shadow over the community.

Grammatical Forms of offender

• past tense: offended
• plural: offenders
• comparative: more offending
• superlative: most offending
• present tense: offends
• future tense: will offend
• perfect tense: have offended
• continuous tense: is offending
• singular: offender
• positive degree: offender
• infinitive: to offend
• gerund: offending
• participle: offended

Origin and Evolution of offender

First Known Use: 1300 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'offender' originated from Old French 'offendour' which was derived from Latin 'offendere' meaning 'to strike against'.

Evolution of the word: Initially, 'offender' was used in a more literal sense to refer to someone who physically struck or attacked another. Over time, the meaning evolved to include someone who violates a law or rule, leading to its modern usage in the context of criminal behavior.