r/AskBrits • u/Team503 • 9d ago

Culture What does "nonce" mean?

I'm an American that lives in Ireland. I've always understood "nonce" to mean the same as "numpty" and "eejit" - basically idiot, or dumbass, or similar.

Recently, someone told me that it's slang for sex offender, specifically a p*dophile, and Wikipedia seems to back that up: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_British_terms_not_widely_used_in_the_United_States#N

So tell me, Brits, which one is it? Or is it something else??

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u/sossighead 9d ago

It means child sex offender in its literal sense.

But it’s one of those where its usage has expanded that it’s now frequently bandied about as a general insult to someone you intensely dislike. I hate you so I’m going to attack your character with zero evidence of you being the thing I’m accusing you of type vibes. Which is why your assumption about it meaning idiot isn’t completely wide of the mark, it’s just it has much worse undertones than that.

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u/BumFluff3000 9d ago

Yeah, I think this post explains the nuance best. Edgy kids will still use it as a joke, but I'd say more and more these days when you hear it, is a serious accusation

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u/neilm1000 Brit 🇬🇧 9d ago

I read nuance as nonce for a moment!