offer

A2 Topic:Actions & Processes

Also spelled hoffer

US /ˈɔfɚ/ UK /ˈɒfə(ɹ)/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like author /θ/ vs /f/

Freq #897

Meanings

1

verb
To ask someone if they would like something, or to hold it out for them.

She offered me a cup of tea when I arrived.
2

verb
To say that you are willing to do something.

He kindly offered to drive us to the airport.
3

verb
To provide or make something available.

The hotel offers free breakfast to all guests.
4

noun
Something that you say you are willing to give or do for someone.

Thank you for your kind offer of help.
5

noun
An amount of money that someone is willing to pay.

They made an offer of $200,000 for the house.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to ask someone if they... proffer

4 noun · something that you say you... offering

Word family

Forms offeredoffers

Derived forms counterofferofferableoffereeoffererofferlessofferorpostofferreofferthroffer

Related forms oblate oblation offering offertory

Appears in

Phrases (15)

See all

special offer
a temporary reduction in price or an added incentive to encourage purchase

Adjective + noun
make an offer
to formally propose a price or deal to someone

Verb + noun
generous offer
an offer that gives more than strictly necessary or expected

Adjective + noun
job offer
a formal proposal of employment from a company to a candidate

Adjective + noun
accept an offer
to agree to and take up an offer that has been made

Verb + noun
offer a course
make a course available for students to enroll in

Verb + noun

Idioms (1)

See all

put something on the table
Matching variant: put an offer on the table

to offer something for consideration in a discussion or negotiation

Etymology

From Middle English offren, offrien. In the religious senses inherited from Old English offrian (“to offer, sacrifice, bring an oblation”); otherwise from Old French ofrir. Both ultimately from Latin offerō (“to present, bestow, bring before”, literally “to bring to”), from Latin ob + ferō (“bring, carry”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to carry, bear”), later reinforced by Old French offrir (“to offer”). Cognate with Old Frisian offria (“to offer”), Old Dutch offrōn (“to offer”), German opfern (“to offer”), Old Norse offra (“to offer”). More at ob-, bear.

*bʰer- Proto-Indo-European offren Middle English offrian Old English ofrir Old French offerō Latin ob Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# offer

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈɔfɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɒfə(ɹ)/
**Frequency rank:** 897

## Meanings
1. To ask someone if they would like something, or to hold it out for them.
2. To say that you are willing to do something.
3. To provide or make something available.
4. Something that you say you are willing to give or do for someone.
5. An amount of money that someone is willing to pay.

## Examples
- She offered me a cup of tea when I arrived.
- He kindly offered to drive us to the airport.
- The hotel offers free breakfast to all guests.
- Thank you for your kind offer of help.
- They made an offer of $200,000 for the house.

## Derived Forms
- counteroffer
- offerable
- offeree
- offerer
- offerless
- offeror
- postoffer
- reoffer
- throffer

## Related Forms
- oblate
- oblation
- offering
- offertory

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *bʰer-
- Root: offren
- Root: offrian
- Root: ofrir
- Root: offerō
- Root: ob

## Etymology
From Middle English offren, offrien. In the religious senses inherited from Old English offrian (“to offer, sacrifice, bring an oblation”); otherwise from Old French ofrir. Both ultimately from Latin offerō (“to present, bestow, bring before”, literally “to bring to”), from Latin ob + ferō (“bring, carry”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to carry, bear”), later reinforced by Old French offrir (“to offer”). Cognate with Old Frisian offria (“to offer”), Old Dutch offrōn (“to offer”), German opfern (“to offer”), Old Norse offra (“to offer”). More at ob-, bear.

## AI Etymology
Offer comes from Middle English offren, offrien. In the religious senses inherited from Old English offrian (“to offer, sacrifice, bring an oblation”); otherwise from Old French ofrir. Both ultimately from Latin offerō (“to present, bestow, bring before”, literally “to bring to”), from Latin ob + ferō (“bring, carry”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to carry, bear”), later reinforced by Old French offrir (“to offer”). Cognate with Old Frisian offria (“to offer”), Old Dutch offrōn (“to offer”), German opfern (“to offer”), Old Norse offra (“to offer”). Modern senses include to ask someone if they would like something, or to hold it out for them and to say that you are willing to do something. The wider word family includes derivatives such as counteroffer, offerable, offeree, offerer, offerless, and offeror and related forms such as oblate, oblation, offering, and offertory.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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