innocuous

[ ih-nok-yoo-uhs ]

adjective

1. not harmful or injurious; harmless:

   an innocuous home remedy.

2. not likely to irritate or offend; inoffensive; an innocuous remark.
3. not interesting, stimulating, or significant; pallid; insipid:

   an innocuous novel.

innocuous

/ ˌɪnəˈkjuːɪtɪ; ɪˈnɒkjʊəs /

adjective

1. having little or no adverse or harmful effect; harmless

Derived Forms

• inˈnocuously, adverb
• inˈnocuousness, noun

Other Word Forms

• in·nocu·ous·ly adverb
• in·nocu·ous·ness in·no·cu·i·ty [in-, uh, -, kyoo, -i-tee], noun
• unin·nocu·ous adjective
• unin·nocu·ous·ly adverb
• unin·nocu·ous·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of innocuous¹

From the Latin word innocuus, dating back to 1590–1600. See in- ³, nocuous

Word History and Origins

Origin of innocuous¹

C16: from Latin innocuus harmless, from in- ¹+ nocēre to harm

Example Sentences

In fact, banned goods include items as innocuous as food products, fishing rods and paper.

From Salon

What was it like to get pulled into the drama for something so innocuous as pasta sauce?

From Salon

Sciver-Brunt missed an innocuous straight delivery, Beaumont chopped on for 47 but the highlight came with the ball to Dunkley pitching on leg stump before turning sharply to hit the top of off.

From BBC

The park is now the Crescenta Valley Community Regional Park, and a historical marker describes the park’s “Aryan superiority” past along with its earlier innocuous German cultural and social connections.

From Los Angeles Times

A seemingly innocuous question that in truth carries immense weight.

From Salon

Related Words

• banal
• bland
• inoffensive
• insipid
• painless

Quiz

Q: Because of their eager and enthusiastic nature, Aries are often described as …

• rhapsodic.
• tenacious.
• adaptable.

Take the full quiz.Go to all quizzes