innocent

adjective in·no·cent \ˈi-nə-sənt\

: not guilty of a crime or other wrong act

: not deserving to be harmed

: lacking experience with the world and the bad things that happen in life

Full Definition of INNOCENT

a : free from guilt or sin especially through lack of knowledge of evil : blameless <an innocent child>

b : harmless in effect or intention <searching for a hidden motive in even the most innocent conversation — Leonard Wibberley>; also : candid <gave me an innocent gaze>

c : free from legal guilt or fault; also : lawful <a wholly innocent transaction>

a : lacking or reflecting a lack of sophistication, guile, or self-consciousness : artless, ingenuous

b : ignorant <almost entirely innocent of Latin — C. L. Wrenn>; also : unaware <perfectly innocent of the confusion he had created — B. R. Haydon>

: lacking or deprived of something <her face innocent of cosmetics — Marcia Davenport>

— innocent noun

— in·no·cent·ly adverb

See innocent defined for English-language learners

See innocent defined for kids

Origin of INNOCENT

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin innocent-, innocens, from in- + nocent-, nocens wicked, from present participle of nocēre to harm — more at noxious

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to INNOCENT

Synonyms: impeccable, pure, sinless, white

Antonyms: impure, peccant, sinful, sinning

Innocent

biographical name In·no·cent \ˈi-nə-sənt\

Definition of INNOCENT

name of 13 popes: especially II d 1143 (pope 1130–43); III 1160(or 1161)–1216 (pope 1198–1216); IV d 1254 (pope 1243–54); XI 1611–1689 (pope 1676–89)

INNOCENT Defined for Kids