Definition of "nonce" in English

noun

1. (archaic, now only in for the nonce) The one or single occasion; the present reason or purpose.

   • That will do for the nonce, but we'll need a better answer for the long term.

2. (lexicography) A nonce word.

   • I had thought that the term was a nonce, but it seems as if it's been picked up by other authors.

3. (cryptography) A value constructed so as to be unique to a particular message in a stream, in order to prevent replay attacks.

   • The information gained by the eavesdropper would permit a replay attack, but only with a request for the same document, and even that may be limited by the server's choice of nonce.

adjective

1. One-off; produced or created for a single occasion or use. Denoting something occurring once.

noun

1. (British, Ireland, derogatory) A sex offender, especially one who is guilty of sexual offences against children.

   • 1989 "assorted nonces, ponces and murderers, 'the worst men in the world' … on the nonce wing, where the child-killers, molesters and various perverts have to be protected from the other prisoners." (New Statesman, New Society, Volume 2, Statesman & Nation Publishing Company Limited)

2. (by extension) A pedophile.

3. (British, Ireland, prison slang, derogatory) A police informer, one who betrays a criminal enterprise

4. (British, Ireland, slang, derogatory) A stupid or worthless person.

   • Shut it, ya nonce!