offensive
//əˈfɛnsɪv//
Forms
- Comparative
- more offensive
- Superlative
- most offensive
- Plural
- offensives
Definitions
1.Causing offense; arousing a visceral reaction of disgust, anger, hatred, sadness, or indignation.
- Some people find pornography offensive.
- A survey at Yale University had 63% of students wanting professors to issue “trigger warnings” before saying anything that some might find offensive or could cause painful emotions.
2.Relating to an offense or attack, as opposed to defensive.
- The army's offensive capabilities. An offensive weapon.
3.Having to do with play directed at scoring.
- The offensive coordinator is responsible for ordering all rushing plays.
1.An attack.
- The Marines today launched a major offensive.
2.The posture of attacking or being able to attack.
- He took the offensive in the press, accusing his opponent of corruption.
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #2779
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Etymology
From Middle French offensif, from offendre + -if by analogy with défensif.
Offendre is from Latin offendere (“to offend”); see offend.