innocent

[ in-uh-suhnt ]
/ ˈɪn ə sənt /

adjective

noun

Origin of innocent

1150–1200; Middle English < Latin innocent- (stem of innocēns) harmless, equivalent to in- in-3 + nocēns present participle of nocēre to harm; see -ent; cf. noxious

SYNONYMS FOR innocent

2 Innocent, blameless, guiltless imply freedom from the responsibility of having done wrong. Innocent may imply having done no wrong at any time, and having not even a knowledge of evil: an innocent victim. Blameless denotes freedom from blame, especially moral blame: a blameless life. Guiltless denotes freedom from guilt or responsibility for wrongdoing, usually in a particular instance: guiltless of a crime.
6 simple, naive, unsophisticated, artless.

OTHER WORDS FROM innocent

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH innocent

acquitted innocent nolo contendere (see synonym study at the current entry) innocence innocents

Definition for innocent (2 of 14)

Innocent I
[ in-uh-suh nt ]
/ ˈɪn ə sənt /

noun

Saint,died a.d. 417, Italian ecclesiastic: pope 401–417.

Definition for innocent (3 of 14)

Innocent II

noun

Gregorio Papareschi,died 1143, Italian ecclesiastic: pope 1130–43.

Definition for innocent (4 of 14)

Innocent III

noun

Giovanni Lotario de' Conti,1161?–1216, Italian ecclesiastic: pope 1198–1216.

Definition for innocent (5 of 14)

Innocent IV

noun

Sinbaldo de Fieschi,c1180–1254, Italian ecclesiastic: pope 1243–54.

Definition for innocent (6 of 14)

Innocent V

noun

Pierre de Tarentaise,c1225–76, French ecclesiastic: pope 1276.

Definition for innocent (7 of 14)

Innocent VI

noun

Étienne Aubert,died 1362, French jurist and ecclesiastic: pope 1352–62.

Definition for innocent (8 of 14)

Innocent VII

noun

Cosimo de' Migliorati,1336–1406, Italian ecclesiastic: pope 1404–06.

Definition for innocent (9 of 14)

Innocent VIII

noun

Giovanni Battista Cibò,1432–92, Italian ecclesiastic: pope 1484–92.

Definition for innocent (10 of 14)

Innocent IX

noun

Giovanni Antonio Facchinetti,1519–91, Italian ecclesiastic: pope 1591.

Definition for innocent (11 of 14)

Innocent X

noun

Giambattista Pamfili,1574–1655, Italian ecclesiastic: pope 1644–55.

Definition for innocent (12 of 14)

Innocent XI

noun

Benedetto Odescalchi,1611–89, Italian ecclesiastic: pope 1676–89.

Definition for innocent (13 of 14)

Innocent XII

noun

Antonio Pignatelli,1615–1700, Italian ecclesiastic: pope 1691–1700.

Definition for innocent (14 of 14)

Innocent XIII

noun

Michelangelo Conti,1655–1724, Italian ecclesiastic: pope 1721–24.

Example sentences from the Web for innocent

British Dictionary definitions for innocent (1 of 4)

innocent
/ (ˈɪnəsənt) /

adjective

noun

an innocent person, esp a young child or an ingenuous adult
a simple-minded person; simpleton

Derived forms of innocent

innocently, adverb

British Dictionary definitions for innocent (2 of 4)

Innocent II

noun

original name Gregorio Papareschi. died 1143, pope (1130–43). He condemned Abelard's teachings

British Dictionary definitions for innocent (3 of 4)

Innocent III

noun

original name Giovanni Lotario de' Conti. ?1161–1216, pope (1198–1216), under whom the temporal power of the papacy reached its height. He instituted the Fourth Crusade (1202) and a crusade against the Albigenses (1208), and called the fourth Lateran Council (1215)

British Dictionary definitions for innocent (4 of 4)

Innocent IV

noun

original name Sinibaldo de' Fieschi. died 1254, pope (1243–54); an unrelenting enemy of Emperor Frederick II and his heirs

Medical definitions for innocent

innocent
[ ĭnə-sənt ]

adj.

Not apparently harmful; benign.