What does "innocence" mean?
Innocence: The state or quality of being morally free from guilt or sin; purity of heart; blamelessness. The silence often of pure innocence Persuades when speaking fails. Shak. Banished from man's life his happiest life, Simplicity and spotless innocence! Milton.
Additional senses
- 2.The state or quality of being not chargeable for, or guilty of, a particular crime or offense; as, the innocence of the prisoner was clearly shown.
- 3.Simplicity or plainness, bordering on weakness or silliness; artlessness; ingenuousness. Chaucer. Shak.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00