Definition of INGENUOUS

ingenuous

Meanings

Adjective

  • characterized by an inability to mask your feelings; not devious
    • "an ingenuous admission of responsibility"

Adjective Satellite

  • lacking in sophistication or worldliness
    • "his ingenuous explanation that he would not have burned the church if he had not thought the bishop was in it"

Adj

  • Naive and trusting.
  • Demonstrating childlike simplicity.
  • Unsophisticated; clumsy or obvious.
  • Unable to mask one's feelings.
  • Straightforward, candid, open, frank.

Origin / Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin ingenuus (“of noble character, frank”). Doublet of ingenu.

Synonyms

artless, innocent

Antonyms

disingenuous

Scrabble Score: 10

ingenuous is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
ingenuous is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
ingenuous is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 15

ingenuous is a valid Words With Friends word