innocence
/ˈɪnəsn̩s/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: innocences
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Absence of responsibility for a crime, tort, etc.
Noun
Examples
Her attorney managed to convince the jury of her innocence.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
Lack of understanding about sensitive subjects such as sexuality and crime.
Noun
Examples
In his innocence, he offered the stranger to bring the package to Paris, never suspecting it contained drugs.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “innocence” mean?
Absence of responsibility for a crime, tort, etc.
Is “innocence” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.