Definition of
Offensive
- (noun, act) the action of attacking an enemy
- (adj, all) substitute a harsher or distasteful term for a mild one
- (adj, all) unpleasant or disgusting especially to the senses
- (adj, all) morally offensive
an unsavory scandal - (adj, all) causing anger or annoyance
- (adj, all) for the purpose of attack rather than defense
- (adj, all) violating or tending to violate or offend against
considered such depravity offensive against all laws of humanity - (adj, all) causing or able to cause nausea
nauseous offal
a sickening stench
via WordNet, Princeton University
Synonyms of Offensive
dysphemistic, loathsome, nauseating, nauseous, noisome, offence, offense, queasy, sickening, unsavory, unsavoury, vile, violative
Antonyms of Offensive
Alternate forms of Offensive
Derivations: offend, offensiveness
Hyponyms: counteroffensive, dirty war, push back, rollback
Hypernyms: military operation, operation
Origin of the word Offensive
- "attacking" (1547), "insulting" (1576), both from M.Fr. offensif (fem. offensive), from M.L. offensivus, from L. offensus, pp. of offendere "offend" (see offend). The noun is 1720 from the adj. more
via Online Etymology Dictionary, ©2001 Douglas Harper
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