innocence

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈɪnəsəns/ UK /ˈɪnəsəns/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
freedom from guilt, sin, or worldly knowledge

The new evidence finally proved the prisoner's innocence.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · freedom from guilt, sin, or... guiltlessness purity blamelessness naivety virtue artlessness

Opposites

guilt corruption experience culpability

Word family

Related forms innocent nocent noxious innocuous

Etymology

From Old French innocence, from Latin innocentia ('harmlessness, blamelessness'), from innocens ('harmless'), from in- ('not') + nocere ('to harm').

in- Latin nocere Latin *nek- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# innocence

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈɪnəsəns/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɪnəsəns/

## Meanings
1. freedom from guilt, sin, or worldly knowledge

## Examples
- The new evidence finally proved the prisoner's innocence.

## Synonyms
- guiltlessness
- purity
- blamelessness
- naivety
- virtue
- artlessness

## Antonyms
- guilt
- corruption
- experience
- culpability

## Related Forms
- innocent
- nocent
- noxious
- innocuous

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: in-
- Root: nocere
- Root: *nek-

## Etymology
From Old French innocence, from Latin innocentia ('harmlessness, blamelessness'), from innocens ('harmless'), from in- ('not') + nocere ('to harm').

## AI Etymology
Innocence comes from Old French innocence, from Latin innocentia ('harmlessness, blamelessness'), from innocens ('harmless'), from in- ('not') + nocere ('to harm'). The prefix supplies the first semantic turn, while the base carries the lexical core of the word. As a noun, it carries the sense "freedom from guilt, sin, or worldly knowledge", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Latin in-, Latin nocere, and Proto-Indo-European *nek-. Related words include innocent, nocent, noxious, innocuous.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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