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   In·gen·u·ous

   /inˈjenyəwəs/

   

   adjective

   • 1. (of a person or action) innocent and unsuspecting: "he eyed her with wide, ingenuous eyes"

   Word Origin late 16th century: from Latin ingenuus literally ‘native, inborn’, from in- ‘into’ + an element related to gignere ‘beget’. The original sense was ‘noble, generous’, giving rise to ‘honourably straightforward, frank’, hence ‘innocently frank’ (late 17th century).

   Derivatives

   • 1. ingenuously adverb
   • 2. ingenuousness noun

   Scrabble Points: 10

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2. People also ask

   What is the difference between naive and ingenuous?

   • Ingenuous is roughly synonymous with naive, and its antonym is disingenuous, which means "giving a false impression of being honest and sincere." Don't confuse the word ingenuous with the similarly spelled ingenious, which means "very smart or clever." Ingenuous is from Latin ingenuus "having the qualities of people born free, noble, honest, open."

   Ingenuous - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/ingenuous

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   What does Ingenuus mean?

   • Learned borrowing from Latin ingenuus (“of noble character, frank”). Doublet of ingenu . ingenuous ( comparative more ingenuous, superlative most ingenuous) Naive and trusting. Demonstrating childlike simplicity . Unsophisticated; clumsy or obvious . Unable to mask one's feelings. Straightforward, candid, open, frank .

   ingenuous - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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   What does Ingénu mean?

   • n. 1. A naive, innocent girl or young woman. 2. a. The role of an ingénue in a dramatic production. b. An actress playing such a role. [French, feminine of ingénu, guileless, from Latin ingenuus, ingenuous; see ingenuous .] American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.

   Ingénue - definition of ingénue by The Free Dictionary

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   What does ingenious mean?

   • First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin ingenuus “native, free-born, honorable, frank; (of studies or occupations) befitting a freeborn person, liberal,” equivalent to in- verb prefix + gen- (base of gignere “to bring into being”) + -uus adjective suffix; see in- 2, ingenious, -ous See ingenious.

   INGENUOUS Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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3. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › ingenuousIngenuous Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › ingenuous

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   Ingenuous means showing innocent or childlike simplicity and candidness, or lacking craft or subtlety. It is an adjective that can be used to describe someone who has a childlike innocence and openness, or someone who is unusually inventive or clever. Learn more about its synonyms, etymology, and usage examples.

4. dictionary.cambridge.org › english › ingenuousINGENUOUS | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › english › ingenuous

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   Ingenious means honest, sincere, and trusting, sometimes in a way that seems silly. It is an adjective that can be used to describe people or things. See more results, pronunciation, translations and related words for ingenuous.

5. dictionary.cambridge.org › english › ingenuousINGENUOUS | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › english › ingenuous

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   Ingenuous means honest, sincere, and trusting, sometimes in a way that seems silly. Learn how to use this formal adjective with examples and translations in different languages.

6. www.dictionary.com › browse › ingenuousINGENUOUS Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › ingenuous

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   Ingenuous means free from reserve, restraint, or dissimulation; candid; sincere. It is often confused with ingenious, which means clever or inventive. See the origin, confusables, and examples of ingenuous on Dictionary.com.

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8. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › ingenuousIngenuous - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › ingenuous

   adjective. characterized by an inability to mask your feelings; not devious. “an ingenuous admission of responsibility” synonyms: artless. candid, heart-to-heart, open. openly straightforward and direct without reserve or secretiveness. undistorted. without alteration or misrepresentation. sincere. open and genuine; not deceitful. naif, naive.

9. www.collinsdictionary.com › english › ingenuousINGENUOUS definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › english › ingenuous

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   4 days ago · Ingenuous means innocent, trusting, and honest. It can also mean candid, frank, or straightforward. See synonyms, examples, and word origin of ingenuous.

10. www.thefreedictionary.com › IngenuousIngenuous - definition of ingenuous by The Free Dictionary

    www.thefreedictionary.com › Ingenuous

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    adj. 1. Lacking in cunning, guile, or worldliness; innocent or naive: I'm not so ingenuous as to believe everything he says. See Synonyms at naive. 2. Straightforward or frank; candid: "I must be so ingenuous as to own that the accounts are not so certain as to the exact time and place of his birth" (Memoir of Martinus Scriblerus).