Provided is a method for estimating carrier wave or doppler frequency offset based on an approximated quadratic non-linear function in fine search, and a receiver employing the method. The method for estimating frequency offset includes the steps of: a) extracting more than three discrete samples in an order where the discrete samples are close to a maximum value of a power spectrum density function; b) inducing a quadratic non-linear function by using the extracted discrete samples; and c) estimating the frequency offset from a maximum point of the quadratic non-linear function. The technology of the present research makes it possible to exactly estimate frequency offset without increasing hardware complexity in estimation of carrier wave or doppler frequency offset.