The word "nonce" has two possible origins:
- It comes from a Middle English phrase "then anes," which meant "for the one purpose" or "for the once.
- some theories suggest it might come from:
A dialectal word "nonce" or "nonse" meaning "good-for-nothing person" or "stupid person."
An acronym "NONCE" used in a British prison, possibly meaning "Not On Normal Courtyard Exercise" .