Agency Dictionary
Naive
adjectivePronunciation: /naɪˈiːv/
In Portuguese: Ingênuo
Psychology & MindWhat does “Naive” mean?
Showing a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment, often characterized by innocent or simplistic expectations.
Etymology
From French naïve, the feminine form of naïf, from Old French naif (natural, native, artless), which came from Latin nativus (native, natural, inborn). The word is a doublet of native: both descend from the same Latin root but arrived in English by different paths. The diaeresis on the i signals that both vowels are pronounced separately. The word entered English in the 17th century.
Synonyms
- ingenuous
- guileless
- artless
- simple
- unsophisticated
Often confused with
- ingenuous
- Naive and ingenuous overlap in meaning but naive more often implies a lack of experience or worldliness, while ingenuous stresses honest openness with no intent to deceive.
Word family
- naively
- naivety
- naiveness
Rhymes with
- believe
- achieve
- receive
- leave
Usage examples
It was a naive feeling of aiming for perfection even though the rhythm and pace of the market didn’t allow it.
Concept
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
Words of the same theme
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- Anesthetizeverb
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- intuitionnoun
- The capacity to understand or know something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning or detailed analysis.
- Naivetynoun
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- Disciplinenoun
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- Anesthetizingadjective
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- Monknoun
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