French Conversation · Level 48
74 words
French word
innocence
Pronunciation
IPA/inosɑ̃s/
Meaning
- feminine nouninnocence
Example
L'enfant montre son innocence en riant.
The child reveals their innocence by laughing.
More examples
Même adulte, il garde une certaine innocence.
Even as an adult, he retains a certain innocence.
Core concept
An open, unguarded person whose words and actions show no wish to harm or deceive.
Common phrases
montrer son innocence
demonstrate one's innocence
avoir l'innocence de
be innocent enough to ___
Similar words
naïveté: A lack of worldly experience that leads to trusting, straightforward views.
candeur: A refreshingly direct and innocent way of expressing thoughts or behaving.
Definition in French
État d'une personne, souvent d'un enfant, qui n'a pas de malice ni de méchanceté et qui montre une simplicité ou une naïveté sincère.
Word origin
French innocence comes from Latin innocentia, from in- meaning 'not' and nocere meaning 'to harm', and first referred to freedom from causing harm.
Usage tips
- In French, innocence is feminine: use une innocence, cette innocence, and l'innocence.
Opposites
- culpabilitéguiltnoun
- méchancetémeannessnoun
Related words
- innocenterprove ___ innocentverb
- innocentinnocentadjective