To offer or suggest something to someone, often formally or politely.
From Old French 'proferer,' meaning to extend or stretch forth. Derived from Latin 'proferre': 'pro-' (forward) + 'ferre' (to carry), literally meaning to carry forward or present.
Proffer sounds formal and almost Shakespearean, which is exactly right—you mostly hear it in literature and fancy contexts. But strip away the formality and you see the root meaning: literally carrying something forward to hand it to someone, which is why it feels generous and deliberate.
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