naive

na·ive

adj \nä-ˈēv, nī-\

na·iv·erna·iv·est

Definition of NAIVE

1

: marked by unaffected simplicity : artless, ingenuous

2

a : deficient in worldly wisdom or informed judgment; especially : credulous b : not previously subjected to experimentation or a particular experimental situation <made the test with naive rats>; also : not having previously used a particular drug (as marijuana) c : not having been exposed previously to an antigen <naive T cells>

3

a : self-taught, primitive b : produced by or as if by a self-taught artist <naive murals>

— na·ive·ly or na·ïve·ly adverb

— na·ive·ness noun

Variants of NAIVE

na·ive or na·ïve \nä-ˈēv, nī-\

Examples of NAIVE

1. a naive belief that all people are good
2. a naive view of the world
3. She asked a lot of naive questions.
4. I was young and naive at the time, and I didn't think anything bad could happen to me.
5. The plan seems a little naive.
6. If you're naive enough to believe him, you'll believe anyone.
7. Secularism requires a commitment to civil liberty, which rests partly on respect for civil disobedience—peaceful acts of conscience that challenge rules of law. If civil libertarianism is naïve, then so is the hope of secular government. —Wendy Kaminer, Free Inquiry, December 2008/January 2009
8. He exhibits a naïve sort of confidence when talking about the doubts surrounding him and the perceived slights in the draft run-up. —Peter King, Sports Illustrated, 1 May 2006
9. His crimes were described as mere bumps in the road, minor offenses committed by a man-boy described as innocent, naïve, trusting, a simple country boy who got lost in airports and was astonished to find out that he could order a pizza over the phone. —Pat Jordan, Harper's, October 2004

Origin of NAIVE

French naïve, feminine of naïf, from Old French, inborn, natural, from Latin nativus native

First Known Use: 1654

Related to NAIVE

Synonyms: aw-shucks, dewy, dewy-eyed, green, ingenuous, innocent, naïf (or naif), primitive, simple, simpleminded, uncritical, unknowing, unsophisticated, unsuspecting, unsuspicious, unwary, unworldly, wide-eyed

Antonyms: cosmopolitan, experienced, knowing, sophisticated, worldly, worldly-wise

Related Words: callow, childish, immature, inexperienced, raw; childlike, idealistic, impractical, unrealistic; believing, credulous, gullible (also gullable), susceptible, trustful, trusting, unguarded; beguiled, duped, gulled, tricked; careless, heedless, thoughtless

Near Antonyms: critical, cynical, doubting, incredulous, skeptical, suspecting, suspicious, unconvinced; careful, cautious, guarded, leery (also leary), wary, watchful; down-to-earth, hardheaded, pragmatic (also pragmatical), realistic, sober; street-smart, streetwise

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See Synonym Discussion at natural

Rhymes with NAIVE

Abib, achieve, aggrieve, believe, bereave, cap sleeve, conceive, deceive, French leave, frost heave, Hoccleve, inweave, khedive, motive, perceive, pet peeve, plain weave, qui vive, receive, relieve, reprieve, retrieve, shirtsleeve, shore leave, sick leave, unreeve, unweave, upheave