This word, in its offensive slang
forms, is probably derived from "nonsense".
Convicted child sex offenders are often considered to be the lowest of the low (i.e. the most "nonsense" people in
society), and this, rather than the NONCE acronym,
may be the main reason why this word became associated with paedophiles.
Calling someone "nonce" normally means one of three things:
1) UK prison slang for a paedophile.
2) A general
insult, usually as an extension of 1) or 3).
3) A nonsensical person, or person behaving in a nonsensical manner, generally equivalent to stupid or idiot.
1) "Gary Glitter's a nonce!"
"Protect your
kids from those nonces."
2) "You've been behaving like a twat all
night! Piss off you
annoying nonce!"
3) "He wasn't talking any sense- he was being a complete nonce!"
"Well, he's certainly nonced that up."