offer

/ˈɒfər/
to present something for acceptance

She offered me a cup of tea.

She presented me with a cup of tea as a gesture of kindness.


general

to present something for acceptance or consideration

The company offered a bonus to its employees.

The company presented a bonus to its employees as an incentive.

Can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

general

a proposal or suggestion made to someone

He made an offer to buy the house.

He proposed to purchase the house.

Often used in business and commercial transactions.

Collocations

offer a solutionto propose a way to solve a problemoffer assistanceto provide helpoffer an apologyto express regret

Related Phrases

offer upphrasal verb
to present something for consideration or acceptance
on offerphrase
available for purchase or consideration

Pro Tip

Verb vs. Noun

Remember that 'offer' can be both a verb (to present something) and a noun (a proposal or suggestion).

Gold Rule

Formal vs. Informal

'Offer' can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it is often more formal than 'suggest'.

Word Origin

From Middle English 'offeren', from Old French 'offerir', from Latin 'offerre' meaning 'to present or bring forward'.

Usage Notes

The word 'offer' can be both a verb and a noun. As a verb, it means to present something for acceptance. As a noun, it refers to a proposal or suggestion.

Word Breakdown

off
away from
prefix
+
er
one who
suffix
English Dictionary