nescience

[ nesh-uhns, nesh-ee-uhns, nes-ee- ]

noun

1. lack of knowledge; ignorance.
2. agnosticism ( def 2 ).

nescience

/ ˈnɛsɪəns /

noun

1. a formal or literary word for ignorance

Derived Forms

• ˈnescient, adjective

Other Words From

• nescient adjective
• non·nescience noun
• non·nescient adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of nescience¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from Late Latin nescientia “ignorance,” from nescient-, the stem of nesciēns, present participle of nescīre “to be ignorant, not to know,” equivalent to ne- “not” + scientia “knowledge”; science

Word History and Origins

Origin of nescience¹

C17: from Late Latin nescientia, from Latin nescīre to be ignorant of, from ne not + scīre to know; compare science

Example Sentences

Critics pounced on his gaffes questioning evolution and asserting that vegetation caused pollution, but, as with Trump, Reagan’s backers cared little about these blunders or his nescience over public affairs.

From Washington Post

Your nescience is just comical but extremely entertaining.

From Time

Our exuberant nescience in matters Sternian extends up to the very publication of Tristram, as far as the determining causes of its production are concerned.

From Project Gutenberg

But all this is merely the old effort to make capital out of nescience, and the stars are before our eyes to prove the contrary.

From Project Gutenberg

He ridiculed with quiet satire the religious nescience and despair which Mansel’s terrific propaganda had been distorted into making the vogue.

From Project Gutenberg