innocence English · revision 39381

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1340, Ayenbite of Inwyt|origins=la noceō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈɪnəsn̩s/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fro|innocence|t=innocence; purity, chastity]],^(Etymonline)^(OED 2026) recorded in French from the 12th century,^(Etymonline)^(OED 2026) from [[la|innocentia|t=blamelessness, harmlessness]],^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966) from [[m|la|innocēns|t=harmless, blameless]],^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966) formed with [[m|la|in-|t=not]] from [[m|la|nocēns|t=harming]], the present participle of [[m|la|noceō|t=to hurt, harm]].^(Collins 2023)^(ODE 2010) The Anglo-Norman word already covered lack of guilt, purity and naivety in the 12th century.^(AND)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Freedom from sin or moral wrong: 1340, in the ''Ayenbite of Inwyt''.^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From moral purity the word passed to guilelessness and simplicity, in Chaucer's ''Legend of Good Women'' (about 1385), a sense that could also mean plain ignorance or silliness;^(OED 2026) Etymonline dates the meaning "lacking in guile", as of childhood, to the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) The legal sense, not being guilty of a particular charge, appears in the 1550s.^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline) Around 1400 it could also mean an innocent person or thing,^(OED 2026) and Merriam-Webster records the sense of chastity.^(MWU 2024) Of things, the meaning "harmlessness" is recorded from Webster's dictionary of 1828.^(OED 2026) In North America ''innocence'' is a popular name for the bluet, a small plant with blue flowers, from 1821.^(OED 2026) Collins gives ''innocency'' as an archaic variant.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1340 – freedom from sin.^(OED 2026)

+ * c. 1385 – guilelessness, simplicity, in Chaucer.^(OED 2026)

+ * c. 1400 – an innocent person or thing.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1559 – freedom from a specific guilt.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1821 – the bluet, a North American plant.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1828 – of things, harmlessness.^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The state of not being [[guilty]] of a particular [[crime]] or offence.^(MWU 2024)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Freedom from [[sin]] or moral wrong; purity.^(MWU 2024)^(OED 2026)

+ # Lack of experience of the world; [[naivety]] or [[simplicity]].^(Collins 2023)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Harmlessness.^(OED 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(North America)'' The [[bluet]], a small plant with blue flowers.^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[presumption of innocence]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[innocent]]

+ * [[innocency]]

+ * [[innocuous]]

+ * [[noxious]]

+ * [[nuisance]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}