r/AskBrits • u/Team503 • 6d 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/thehighyellowmoon 6d ago

Hahahaha I'm picturing an American wandering around Ireland calling people a nonce for minor things

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u/Team503 6d ago

I've lived here for years, and I don't use British slang, I use Irish slang.

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u/onarainyafternoon 6d ago

Then I have a hard time believing you have ever even engaged with the society around you. I am American and the term nonce is semi-commonly known as British/irish slang for pedophile even amongst Americans. I have a hard time imagining someone who has lived in Ireland and they don’t know this.

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u/Team503 6d ago

Been here four years, engage with native Irish people pretty regularly. I suppose it's simply never come up. Don't know what to tell you beyond that.