Reoffend

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To engage in criminal conduct again after having been punished previously
2. To commit a prohibited act anew after experiencing legal repercussions for earlier actions
3. To commit another criminal offense following a previous punishment

Etymology: "Reoffend" is a plain compound: the prefix "re-" ("again") attached to "offend." The verb "offend" came into English through Old French from Latin "offendere," meaning to strike against or stumble upon, and only later came to mean to transgress or cause displeasure. Adding "re-" yields the sense of committing an offence once more, particularly after punishment or a previous conviction. The prefix itself has a long lineage, traceable back through Latin "re-" to the Proto-Italic root *wre-, but in practice English speakers simply attached the familiar "again" prefix to a word that already meant to break the law or a rule. The construction is transparent, which is why the word reads as its own meaning at a glance.

Synonyms: re-offend

Antonyms: abide, comply