offender

[ uh-fen-der ]

noun

1. someone who has violated a criminal, religious, or moral law:

   The program aids individuals already in the criminal justice system and is geared toward nonviolent offenders.

2. a person or thing that irritates, annoys, or angers:

   Some of us tried to take matters into our own hands by confronting the noise pollution offenders, but they were entirely unwilling to quiet down.

3. something that is disagreeable:

   If you’re curious about the odor, I’m afraid you’ll find that the offender is a catbox that has not been emptied recently.

Other Words From

• non·of·fend·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of offender¹

offend ( def ) + -er ¹( def )

Related Words

• convict
• criminal
• culprit
• delinquent
• felon
• lawbreaker
• suspect