nocent

[ noh-suhnt ]

adjective

, Rare.

1. harmful; injurious:

   nocent chemical waste and other toxins.

2. guilty; not innocent.

Word History and Origins

Origin of nocent¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin nocent-, stem of nocēns, present participle of nocēre “to harm, injure”; -ent

Example Sentences

Light stripes may suffice for quelling the less nocent dunces.

From Project Gutenberg

"It will clearly appear," he said, "where the guilt will lie if innocent persons should come to suffer with the nocent."

From Project Gutenberg

He divides his treatise into "bad and nocent books; bad books but not nocent; books not bad, but nocent; books neither bad nor nocent."

From Project Gutenberg

The judges, who were Englishmen, declared in their first session that 168 were innocent to 19 nocent.

From Project Gutenberg

All plants, phanerogams or cryptogams, can be divided into nocent or innocent, etc., etc.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• adverse
• damaging
• destructive
• detrimental
• disadvantageous
• harmful
• insulting
• noxious
• pernicious
• poisonous
• prejudicial
• ruinous
• slanderous
• unhealthy