innocent

[ in-uh-suhnt ]

adjective

1. free from moral wrong; without sin; pure:

   innocent children.

   Synonyms: immaculate, spotless, impeccable, faultless, virtuous, sinless

   Antonyms: guilty

2. free from legal or specific wrong; guiltless:

   innocent of the crime.

   Antonyms: guilty

3. not involving evil intent or motive:

   an innocent misrepresentation.

4. not causing physical or moral injury; harmless:

   innocent fun.

5. devoid (usually followed by of ):

   a law innocent of merit.

6. having or showing the simplicity or naiveté of an unworldly person; guileless; ingenuous.

   Synonyms: artless, unsophisticated, naive, simple

7. uninformed or unaware; ignorant.

noun

1. an innocent person.
2. a young child.
3. a guileless person.
4. a simpleton or idiot.
5. Usually innocents. (used with a singular verb) bluet ( def 1 ).

innocent

/ ˈɪnəsənt /

adjective

1. not corrupted or tainted with evil or unpleasant emotion; sinless; pure
2. not guilty of a particular crime; blameless
3. postpositivefoll byof free (of); lacking

   innocent of all knowledge of history

4. 1. harmless or innocuous

      an innocent game

   2. not cancerous

      an innocent tumour

5. credulous, naive, or artless
6. simple-minded; slow-witted

noun

1. an innocent person, esp a young child or an ingenuous adult
2. a simple-minded person; simpleton

Derived Forms

• ˈinnocently, adverb

Other Words From

• inno·cent·ly adverb
• quasi-inno·cent adjective
• quasi-inno·cent·ly adverb
• super·inno·cent adjective
• super·inno·cent·ly adverb
• un·inno·cent adjective
• un·inno·cent·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of innocent¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English, from Latin innocent- (stem of innocēns ) “harmless,” equivalent to in- in- ³ + nocēns present participle of nocēre “to harm”; -ent; noxious

Synonym Study

Innocent, blameless, guiltless imply freedom from the responsibility of having done wrong. Innocent may imply having done no wrong at any time, and having not even a knowledge of evil: an innocent victim. Blameless denotes freedom from blame, especially moral blame: a blameless life. Guiltless denotes freedom from guilt or responsibility for wrongdoing, usually in a particular instance: guiltless of a crime.

Example Sentences

He argued that it's a view that allows men "to blame others—sometimes innocent people—for their own abuse of power."

From Salon

Tumors are notoriously good evaders of immune surveillance because they trick immune cells into viewing them as innocent bystanders.

From Science Daily

It's unlikely that Trump believes Weinstein, who has been accused of abuse by over 80 women, is innocent.

From Salon

Texas legislators had subpoenaed Roberson to testify in October, a novel way to delay the scheduled execution of a man many people believe to be innocent.

From Salon

"My deepest condolences to those who have lost their innocent children in this. I pray to God to give them the strength to bear this immense loss," he wrote.

From BBC

Related Words

• childlike
• gullible
• ignorant
• innocuous
• wide-eyed