# offender

> English word · Noun · IPA /əˈfen.də(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #11,257

## Definitions
1. One who gives or causes offense, or does something wrong.
2. A person who commits an offense against the law, a lawbreaker.

## Etymology
From Middle English offendour, offender, offendir, equivalent to offend + -er.

## Easily confused with
- **offense** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/offender-vs-offense)
- **offend** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/offend-vs-offender)
- **offended** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/offended-vs-offender)

## Common misspellings (10)
`fofender`, `ofefnder`, `ofender`, `offedner`, `offendder`, `offenderr`, `offendre`, `offenedr`, `offennder`, `offneder`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/offender