nonce
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
A police informer, one who betrays a criminal enterprise
Register: derogatory, slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
A stupid or worthless person.
Register: derogatory, slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “nonce” mean?
A police informer, one who betrays a criminal enterprise
Is “nonce” formal or informal?
nonce is generally derogatory, slang.