innocence means absence of responsibility for a crime, tort, etc. It carries an Arena rating of 1577, earned across 4 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, innocence ranks #1,324 of 17,113 for Most Elegant Words, #1,375 of 17,123 for Most Malleable Words, #2,031 of 17,120 for Most Beautiful Words, #4,236 of 17,130 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words.
innocence is pronounced /ˈɪnəsn̩s/.
Why “innocence” is a great word
The state of being free from guilt, blame, or moral wrong, often implying an uncorrupted nature and lack of harmful intent. From Middle English innocence, from Old French innocence, inocence, from Latin innocentia ("harmlessness, blamelessness"), from in- ("not") + nocēns, present participle of nocēre ("to harm"), first attested in English in the mid-14th century. Unlike "naivety," which implies a deficit of wisdom ripe for exploitation, or "ignorance," a mere absence of knowledge, innocence is an active quality of purity, an unblemished slate. It is the uncomprehending gaze of a child at a crime scene, the absolute trust in a promise that will be broken, the quiet whiteness of a page before the first, compromising word is written—a fleeting condition defined by its inevitable loss.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English innocence, from Old French innocence, inocence, from Latin innocentia. Doublet of innocency. Displaced native Old English unsċyld.
noun
- Absence of responsibility for a crime, tort, etc.e.g.“Her attorney managed to convince the jury of her innocence.”
- Lack of understanding about sensitive subjects such as sexuality and crime.e.g.“In his innocence, he offered the stranger to bring the package to Paris, never suspecting it contained drugs.”
- Lack of ability or intention to harm or damage.e.g.“Tests have demonstrated the innocence of this substance.”
- Imbecility; mental deficiency.
Words closest in meaning
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