US /ˈænʒəˌnu/ UK /ˈãʒeɪnjuː/
noun

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    an innocent or unsophisticated young woman, especially as a stage role

    The director cast her as the ingenue, all wide eyes and trembling earnestness.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · an innocent or... innocentnaifmaidendebutante
Opposites
Word family

Etymology

From French ingénue, feminine of ingénu ('ingenuous, artless'), from Latin ingenuus ('native, freeborn, frank'), from in- ('in') + gignere ('to beget').

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