inoffensive

English

Etymology

From in- +‎ offensive.

Adjective

inoffensive (comparative more inoffensive, superlative most inoffensive)

1. not offensive

   an inoffensive joke

   • 1765, Catherine Jemmat, The Memoirs of Mrs. Catherine Jemmat, Daughter of the Late Admiral Yeo, of Plymouth. Written by Herself, volume I, 2nd edition, London: Printed for the author, at Charing-Cross, OCLC 316667080, page 145:

     [S]he was one of your ſoft ſpoken, canting, whining hypocrites, who with a truly jeſuitical art, could wreſt evil out of the moſt inoffenſive thought, word, look or action; […]

2. harmless

   an inoffensive plant

Derived terms

• inoffensively
• inoffensiveness
• inoffensivism
• inoffensivity

 

Translations

not offensive

• Catalan: inofensiu (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 觸犯人的, 触犯人的 (bù chùfàn rén de)

• Finnish: viaton (fi), hyvää tarkoittava
• Italian: inoffensivo (it)

• Japanese: 無難な (bunan na), 当たり障りのない (atarisawari no nai)
• Maori: māhaki
• Portuguese: inofensivo (pt)
• Russian: безоби́дный (ru) (bezobídnyj), необи́дный (neobídnyj)
• Spanish: inofensivo (es)

harmless

• Catalan: inofensiu (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 無害的 (zh), 无害的 (zh) (wúhài de)

• Finnish: harmiton (fi)
• French: inoffensif (fr)
• Irish: neamhurchóideach
• Italian: inoffensivo (it)
• Japanese: 無難な (bunan na), 当たり障りのない (atarisawari no nai)

• Manx: neuskielleydagh
• Norman: innoffensif (Jersey)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: harmløs

• Portuguese: inofensivo (pt)
• Russian: безвре́дный (ru) (bezvrédnyj)
• Spanish: inofensivo (es)

---

French

Adjective

inoffensive

1. feminine singular of inoffensif

---

Italian

Adjective

inoffensive

1. feminine plural of inoffensivo