noun

offender

offender, lawbreaker, culprit

The police arrested the offender.

The police arrested the offender.

He is a first-time offender.

He is a first-time offender.

((an offender)) a person who commits a crime The police arrested the offender.

Synonyms: criminal, culprit, lawbreaker

From the verb 'offend' plus the agent suffix '-er', meaning 'a person who offends'. 'Offend' comes from Latin 'offendere', meaning 'to strike against'.

An offend**er** is a p**er**son who offends or breaks a law. The '-er' ending often denotes a person who does something.

This page is designed for learning support. Please use it as a learning reference, not as a formal reference.