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innocent

in·no·cent

UK/ˈɪnəsənt/ US/ˈɪnʌsʌnt/ common
adjective (5) noun (1)

adjective

1.

free from evil or guilt

  • “an innocent child”
  • “the principle that one is innocent until proved guilty”
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2.

lacking intent or capacity to injure

  • “an innocent prank”
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3.

free from sin

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4.

lacking in sophistication or worldliness

  • “a child”
  • “;”
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5.

used of things; lacking sense or awareness

  • “ignorant hope”
  • “fine innocent weather”
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noun

1.

a person who lacks knowledge of evil

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Origin

From Middle English innocent, from Old French innocent, inocent, borrowed from Latin innocēns (“harmless, inoffensive”), from in- (“not”) + nocēns, present participle of noceō (“to hurt”). By surface analysis, in- (“not”) + nocent (“harmful; guilty”). Displaced native Old English unsċyldiġ.

Phrases

  • innocent agent
  • innocent as a lamb
  • innocent as a newborn babe
  • innocent as the babe unborn
  • innocent as the child unborn
  • innocent bystander
  • innocent passage

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See also

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.