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adj. 1. Uncorrupted by evil, malice, or wrongdoing; sinless: an innocent child. 2. a. Not guilty of a specific crime or offense; legally blameless: was innocent of all charges. b. Within, allowed by, or sanctioned by the law; lawful. 3. a. Not dangerous or harmful; innocuous: an innocent prank. b. Candid; straightforward: a child's innocent stare. 4. a. Not experienced or worldly; naive. b. Betraying or suggesting no deception or guile; artless. 5. a. Not exposed to or familiar with something specified; ignorant: American tourists wholly innocent of French. b. Unaware: She remained innocent of the complications she had caused. 6. Lacking, deprived, or devoid of something: a novel innocent of literary merit. n. 1. A person, especially a child, who is free of evil or sin. 2. A simple, guileless, inexperienced, or unsophisticated person. 3. A very young child. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin innocēns, innocent- : in-, not; see IN-1 + nocēns, present participle of nocēre, to harm; see nek-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] inno·cent·ly adv. |
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