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Meaning of ingenuous
The primary meaning of "ingenuous" is being free from cunning, deceit, or guile, and being innocent and unsuspecting.
Etymology of ingenuous
The word "ingenuous" has its roots in Latin, where "ingenuus" means "native, free-born" or "frank, candid".
Historically, the term has evolved to convey a sense of innocence, simplicity, and a lack of deceit or cunning, with its first recorded use in English dating back to the 15th century.
Synonyms
sincere
genuine
honest
truthful
candid
open
frank
straightforward
naive
artless
innocent
simple
unsophisticated
unaffected
unpretentious
straightforward
guileless
pure
unadulterated
authentic
real
heartfelt
earnest
unfeigned
spontaneous
natural
unassuming
modest
humble
unpretended
undisguised
transparent
clear
straightforward
forthright
direct
Definitions
- Oxford Languages defines "ingenuous" as (of a person or their intention) innocent and unsuspecting, or (of a person) naively honest and straightforward.
- It can also refer to something that is cleverly and original in a simple and charming way.
Usage Examples
- The ingenuous smile of the child melted the hearts of everyone in the room.
- Her ingenuous nature made her an easy target for scammers and fraudsters.
- The ingenuous design of the new product made it a huge success among consumers.