innocent Hear it!

Jump To: synonymsSynonyms · examplesUsage Examples · quotesQuotes · linkLink/Cite
Also found in: medicalAH Medical Dictionary
innocent definition

in·no·cent (in′ə sənt)

adjective

  1. free from sin, evil, or guilt; specif.,
    1. doing or thinking nothing morally wrong; pure
    2. not guilty of a specific crime or offense; guiltless
    3. free from harmful effect or cause; that does not harm, injure, or corrupt
    4. not malignant; benign an innocent tumor
    1. knowing no evil
    2. without guile or cunning; artless; simple
    3. naive
    4. ignorant
  3. totally lacking: with of innocent of adornment

Etymology: OFr < L innocens < in-, not + nocens, prp. of nocere, to do wrong to: see necro-

noun

  1. a person knowing no evil or sin, such as a child
  2. a very naive or simple-minded person

Related Forms:

Innocent definition

In·no·cent (in′ə sənt)

  1. (died 417); pope (401-417): his day is July 28
  2. (born Gregorio Papareschi) died 1143; pope (1130-43)
  3. (born Lotario de' Conti de' Segni) 1161?-1216; pope (1198-1216)
  4. (born Sinibaldo de' Fieschi) died 1254; pope (1243-54)
  5. (born Benedetto Odeschalchi) 1611-89; pope (1676-89)

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

medical innocent definition - medical

innocent Synonyms

innocent

modif.

  1. Not guilty

    guiltless, blameless, inculpable, impeccable, faultless, unoffending, free of, uninvolved, honest, above suspicion, clean*, in the clear*; see also reliable 1, upright 2.

    Antonyms guilty*, culpable*, blameworthy. *

  2. Without guile

    open, ingenuous, fresh, guileless; see childish 1, frank, naive, natural 3.

  3. Inexperienced

    youthful, raw, green*; see inexperienced, young 2.

  4. Morally pure

    sinless, unblemished, pure, unsullied, undefiled, spotless, wholesome, upright, unimpeachable, clean, virtuous, chaste, virginal, immaculate, impeccable, righteous, uncorrupted, irreproachable, unstained, stainless, unspotted, incorrupt, moral, angelic, squeaky-clean*; see also chaste 2, 3, perfect 2.

    Antonyms sinful, corrupt, dissolute.

  5. Harmless

    innocuous, inoffensive, safe, benign; see harmless 2.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

innocent Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • slaughter: The ribbon is red and white - supposedly, red for the blood spilled and white for the innocents slaughtered.

Preposition: as

  • dove: Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Modifies a noun

  • civilian: The killing of innocent civilians is the issue here.

Modifying Another Word

  • seemingly: These two lines are seemingly innocent talk about viewing houses.

Used with adjective complement

  • presume: Additionally, specific rights given to people being prosecuted for a criminal charge include: The right to be presumed innocent.

Preposition: of

  • wrongdoing: Most men, usually innocent of substantive wrongdoing, find themselves legally defenseless against the destruction of the fabric of their lives.
innocent usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

innocent quotes

I am innocent of the charge, and nothing you will say however clever you are in the wording of out-of-context pieces, however clever you are in letting people know what 'on and off the record'means, there is only one thing that mattersinthis court of law, sir: Ihavenever had sexual intercourse with her. And that is the truth!

-Archer,Jeffrey Howard, Lord

It is better that ten guilty persons escape than one innocent suffer.

-Blackstone, Sir William

I do not like subversion or disloyalty in any form and if I had ever seen any I would have considered it my duty to have reported it to the proper authorities.But to hurt innocent people whom I knew many years ago in order to save myself is to me inhuman and indecent and dishonorable.

-Hellman, Lillian Florence

innocent quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Link to this page:

Cite this page:

MLA Style

"innocent." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/innocent>

APA Style

innocent. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/innocent

Comments:

Please or Register to post a comment