offendre

Offenser is a French verb meaning to offend, insult, or affront someone, or to violate social or moral norms. It can describe causing hurt feelings or transgressing conventions. The verb is transitive (offenser quelqu’un) and also appears in its reflexive form to mean taking offense (se offenser).

Etymology and sense: Offenser derives from Latin offensus, the past participle of offendere, itself from ob- “against” and fendere “to strike.” In French, the sense of insult or affront developed in medieval and modern usage and remains common in both formal and everyday language.

Usage and nuance: Offenser expresses that someone has insulted or affronted another person, as in Ce commentaire l’a offensé. It can also denote moral or social affronts, e.g., Il a offensé les croyances des autres. The reflexive form se offenser means “to take offense,” as in Elle s’est offensée facilement. The noun l’offense denotes an insult or offense; faire une offense means to commit an insult or offense.

Conjugation (highlights): Offenser is a regular -er verb. Present indicative: j’offense, tu offenses, il offense, nous offensons, vous offensez, ils offensent. Passé composé: j’ai offensé. Se Offenser (present): je m’offense, tu t’offenses, il s’offense, nous nous offensons, vous vous offensez, ils s’offensent. Passé composé: je me suis offensé(e). These forms illustrate the basic conjugation pattern and its reflexive counterpart.

See also: offense, insulter, blesser, prendre om offense (take offense).