What is the term for intentionally or knowingly causing bodily harm to another person?

The term for intentionally or knowingly causing bodily harm to another person is battery. Battery involves the actual infliction of physical harm or offensive contact with another individual, which distinguishes it from other related terms like assault. While assault typically refers to the threat or attempted act of causing harm, battery entails the completion of that act resulting in injury or offensive touching. The key elements of battery include the intent to cause harm and the actual occurrence of that harm, differentiating it from other offenses where intent may not result in physical injury.

In contrast, harassment involves a pattern of behavior intended to annoy, alarm, or abuse another person without necessarily causing physical injury. Aggravated assault usually refers to an assault with the intent to inflict serious bodily injury or involving the use of a weapon, which is a more serious charge than standard battery. Therefore, the most precise term for the act of causing bodily harm is battery.