innocent

in-no-cent · adjective

imported

Definitions

adjective

  1. 1.

    Not guilty of a crime or offense.

  2. 2.

    Free from moral wrong; not corrupted or tainted.

  3. 3.

    Not intended to cause harm or offense; harmless.

  4. 4.

    (as noun: the innocent) People who are not involved in wrongdoing, especially victims.

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    innocent bystander — someone not involved who is affected by events
  • •
    innocent until proven guilty — the legal presumption of innocence
  • •
    play innocent — to pretend not to know something

Related words

Antonyms: corrupt, culpable, guilty
See also: guilty, innocence, naive
Synonyms: blameless, guiltless, pure

Etymology

From Latin innocens ("not harmful, blameless"), from in- ("not") + nocens ("harming"), present participle of nocere ("to harm"). Entered English via Old French in the 14th century.