NONCE

What Does Nonce Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

Nonce is a derogatory British slang term used to refer a person convicted of sexual offenses against children.

More Information

Nonce is a slang term used online and offline in the UK, including in the mainstream media, to refer to a person convicted of sexual offenses against children. It carries extreme stigma and persons considered nonces are often targeted for violence, especially in prisons. However, although the term is deeply offensive, it is sometimes used as a playful insult between close friends. For example:

• "A nonce, has moved into number 11. Don't let the kids out of your sight"
• "We don't see much of His Royal Highness Prince Nonce on the tele nowadays."
• "Come on bro! Come with us on Friday. Don't be a nonce all your life."

Nonce gained worldwide exposure in early 2025, when it was featured in the dialogue of the hit Netflix series Adolescence. The exact origin of the term is unclear, but the most widely accepted theory is that it is an acronym for a classification used in prisons for such offenders: "Not On Normal Communal Exercise." However, this explanation may actually be a backronym (i.e., an acronym formed by taking an existing word and attributing new meanings to its letters).

Image for Nonce

Nonce is usually a deeply offensive insult.

Summary of Key Points

NONCE
Definition:	Child Sex Offender
Type:	Word / Acronym
Guessability:	4: Difficult to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

An Academic Look at Nonce

Nonce may also be an acronym. According to some sources, it is formed by taking the initial letters of the words "Not On Normal Communal Exercise" and pronouncing them together as a single word. However, this may well be an example of a backronym, which is an acronym deliberately formed from a word, phrase or abbreviation whose initial letters spell out a particular word or words, either to create a memorable name or as a fanciful explanation of a word's origin. For example, FBI = "Federal Bureau of Investigation." Backronym = "Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity."

Example of Nonce Used in a Text

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