proffer

verb

prof·fer | \ ˈprä-fər

proffered; proffering\ ˈprä-f(ə-)riŋ

Definition of proffer

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

: to present for acceptance : tender, offer

intransitive verb

US law

: to offer to take part in a proffer session decided that an indictment was unlikely and there was no reason to proffer

proffer

noun

Definition of proffer (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : offer, suggestion

2 US law : an offer made to a prosecutor by a person who is a subject of a criminal investigation to provide information in exchange for limited immunity or a plea bargaining agreement made a proffer in the hope of avoiding prosecution

Synonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about proffer

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Did You Know?

Verb

You may notice a striking similarity between "proffer" and "offer." Are the two words connected by etymology? Yes, indeed. "Proffer" comes from Anglo-French profrer, which itself is an alteration of the earlier "porofrir." That word in turn combines "por-" (which means "forth" and is related to our "pro-") and "offrir" (which means "to offer" and is an ancestor of our word offer). "Proffer" entered English in the 14th century. A more literary word than plain "offer," it adds or puts stress on the idea of voluntariness, spontaneity, or courtesy on the part of the one doing the tendering.

Examples of proffer in a Sentence

Verb

He proffered advice on how best to proceed. proffered his assistance in helping the two sides reach a compromise

Noun

a generous proffer of his baronial estate for the charity gala

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Many articles proffer expert testimony that Go is harder than chess, making this victory more impressive. — Quanta Magazine, "Is AlphaGo Really Such a Big Deal?," 29 Mar. 2016 This rebuttal proffers a strange theory of governance, that American accounts are somehow bound by the lifetime of its generations. — Time, "Author Ta-Nehisi Coates Criticized Mitch McConnell for Saying Slavery's Effects Were in the Past," 19 June 2019 The town of Vinci proffered an inspiring backdrop for a boy with a capacious vision. — Claudia Kalb, National Geographic, "Why Leonardo da Vinci’s brilliance endures, 500 years after his death," 12 June 2019 In December, a group of marchers in Paris’ bohemian Montmartre neighborhood proffered an anti-Semitic salute. — Lori Hinnant, The Seattle Times, "French yellow vest movement dogged by intolerance, extremism," 29 Jan. 2019 How long can this process, from proffer to cooperation take? — Jen Kirby, Vox, "How to flip a witness, as explained by a former federal prosecutor," 3 Aug. 2018 The Commander came home that night proffering a bouquet of roses and an apology. — Abby Ellin, Marie Claire, "I Almost Married a Con Man," 8 Jan. 2019 Eighteen years ago, at the end of an official visit to North Korea, then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright brought an unexpected gift, proffering a basketball signed by Michael Jordan for Kim Jong Il, Kim Jong Un's father. — Siobhán O'grady, chicagotribune.com, "Dennis Rodman might go to Singapore. Here's the story of his friendship with Kim Jong Un.," 6 June 2018 Tampa Bay will proffer a parrot — and Buffalo will offer a wonder of the world. — Erik Brady, USA TODAY, "Buffalo Bills will make two of their draft picks at Niagara Falls," 24 Apr. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Prosecutors argued such an informal immunity agreement, known as a proffer, would have been made in writing and no corroborating paperwork has been found. — Fox News, "Man who jumped out of freezer and died was cold-case suspect," 6 Aug. 2018 According to the plea agreement, Mr. Cohen’s lawyers executed his proffer agreement with Mr. Mueller’s office on August 7, two weeks before his guilty plea in Manhattan. — Rebecca Ballhaus, WSJ, "Michael Cohen’s Lawyers Ask for No Prison Time After Plea," 1 Dec. 2018 Lying during his proffer: Downing also pressed Gates on the specifics of his plea deal with Mueller’s team. — Andrew Prokop, Vox, "Manafort’s defense team goes all out to try to discredit Rick Gates’s testimony," 7 Aug. 2018 And that conversation will typically happen through something called a proffer agreement. — Jen Kirby, Vox, "How to flip a witness, as explained by a former federal prosecutor," 3 Aug. 2018 In its second act, American Conservatory Theater’s production both makes a riot of a slow-motion fight scene and proffers ageless wisdom won from the ravages of war. — Chronicle Staff Report, San Francisco Chronicle, "Theater capsule reviews and listings, week of April 22," 19 Apr. 2018 No matter what happens, this thought experiment proffers, someone is going to die. — Betsy Morais, Longreads, "The Menace and the Promise of Autonomous Vehicles," 13 June 2018 In its second act, American Conservatory Theater’s production both makes a riot of a slow-motion fight scene and proffers ageless wisdom won from the ravages of war. — Chronicle Staff Report, San Francisco Chronicle, "Theater capsule reviews and listings, week of April 22," 19 Apr. 2018 In its second act, American Conservatory Theater’s production both makes a riot of a slow-motion fight scene and proffers ageless wisdom won from the ravages of war. — Chronicle Staff Report, San Francisco Chronicle, "Theater capsule reviews and listings, week of April 22," 19 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'proffer.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.