naive English · revision 39850

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=a1614, J. Melville, Autobiography and Diary|origins=la nāscor}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * UK: /naɪˈiːv/, /nɑːˈiːv/^(Wiktionary)

+ * US: /naɪˈiv/, /nɑˈiv/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|naïve]],^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)^(SOED 2002)^(ODE 2010) the feminine of [[m|fr|naïf]],^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[fro|naif|t=natural, native, genuine; innocent]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995) [[der|la|nātīvus|t=native, natural, not artificial]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(Klein 1966)^(Hoad 1986) the source of [[native]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966) The Latin adjective comes from [[m|la|nātus|t=born]],^(Skeat 1911) the past participle of [[m|la|nāscor|t=to be born]].^(Skeat 1911) The masculine form, as ''naïf'', had been taken into English earlier, in the 16th century.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Natural and unaffected, artless, innocent: before 1614, in the autobiography of the Scottish minister James Melville;^(OED 2026) Merriam-Webster dates it to about 1614,^(MWU 2024) while Barnhart's first date is 1654^(Barnhart 1995) and Etymonline's the 1650s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In 1673 Dryden made fun of ''naive'' and ''naiveté'' in ''Marriage à la Mode'', where they are among the French words that the affected Melantha adds to her conversation.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The word was long imperfectly naturalized, and the OED's first edition (1906) noted that its pronunciation was still unsettled.^(OED 2026) From the meaning "natural, unaffected" it came to mean lacking experience or judgement, credulous.^(OED 2026)^(SOED 2002) In philosophy it was used by 1855 in translations of Schiller, who contrasted naive with reflective poetry.^(Etymonline) In art (1871) it describes a painting in a simple, direct style, or a self-taught painter (1951),^(OED 2026) and in science (1906) a person or animal not previously exposed to a drug, experiment or the like.^(OED 2026) Merriam-Webster records the noun, a naive person, from 1974.^(MWU 2024) The derivative ''naiveté'' is recorded from 1673, and its English form ''naivety'' from the 18th century.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * a1614 – natural, artless.^(OED 2026)^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1654 – Barnhart's first date.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1673 – ''naiveté'', in Dryden's ''Marriage à la Mode''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1855 – in philosophy, in translations of Schiller.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1871 – (art) in a simple, untrained style.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1906 – (science) not previously exposed to a treatment or experiment.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1974 – the noun, a naive person.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Showing a lack of experience, [[wisdom]] or judgement; too ready to believe others: ''It was naive of him to lend his car to a stranger.''^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+ # Simple, [[artless]] and unaffected; [[innocent]].^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # (art) Of a painting or painter: in a simple, direct style, usually without formal training.^(OED 2026)^(Collins 2023)

+ # (science) Of a person or animal: not previously exposed to a particular drug, treatment or experiment.^(OED 2026)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # (rare) A naive person.^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[naively]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[naif]]

+ * [[naivety]]

+ * [[native]]

+ * [[nature]]

+ * [[nation]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}