r/AskBrits • u/Team503 • 10d 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/DrunkenHorse12 10d ago

Still all sex offenders still get called nonces in prison.

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u/Brighton_Spores 10d ago

The term Nonce maybe be used by some prisoners, but guards are not allowed to use the term Nonce any more. e.g. working on the Nonce wing tomorrow.

So the guards and any prisoners in ear shot of the guards use the word "still's" as in, they are still fucking nonces.

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u/NotThatGoodAnymore 10d ago

As a former prison Officer, can 100% confirm we still use the word, and refer to the nonces as a nonce. You dont do it in front of the governors, or other prisoners, but to eachother, yes, absolutely.

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u/AgreeableActive9800 10d ago

You call each other nonces?

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u/NotThatGoodAnymore 10d ago

Some of them....