innocence

noun
/ˈɪnəsn̩s/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English innocence, from Old French innocence, inocence, from Latin innocentia. Doublet of innocency. Displaced native Old English unsċyld.

  1. derived from innocentia
  2. derived from innocence
  3. inherited from innocence

Definitions

  1. Absence of responsibility for a crime, tort, etc.

    • Her attorney managed to convince the jury of her innocence.
  2. Lack of understanding about sensitive subjects such as sexuality and crime.

    • In his innocence, he offered the stranger to bring the package to Paris, never suspecting it contained drugs.
    • Eustace gaped at him in amazement. When his urbanity dropped away from him, as now, he had an innocence of expression which was almost infantile. It was as if the world had never touched him at all.
  3. Lack of ability or intention to harm or damage.

    • Tests have demonstrated the innocence of this substance.
    • His unruly hair was slicked down with water, and as Jessamy introduced him to Miss Brindle his face assumed a cherubic innocence which would immediately have aroused the suspicions of anyone who knew him.
  4. + 1 more definition
    1. Imbecility

      Imbecility; mental deficiency.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for innocence. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA