Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “nonoffensive” come from?

nonoffensive (English) comes from English offensive, from Middle French offensif, from Latin offendere, from Latin offendo, from Latin ob-, from Latin obolus, from Ancient Greek ὀβολός, from Ancient Greek ὀβελός — to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing.

nonoffensive (English): Not offensive

Definitions

  1. Not offensive

Ancestry of “nonoffensive”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishoffensiveCausing offense; arousing a visceral reaction of...
2Middle Frenchoffensif—
3Latinoffenderethird-person plural perfect active indicative of...
4LatinoffendoI hit, thrust, strike; I meet, encounter; I...
5Latinob-towards; against
6Latinobolusobolus
7Ancient Greekὀβολόςobol, obolus, used at Athens as both a weight and...
8Ancient Greekὀβελόςa spit, rod; a horizontal line
9Ancient Greekβέλοςmissile, arrow, dart; weapon; something quickly...
10Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷélHos—
11Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷelH-to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷelH- →