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ignorance

American  
[ig-ner-uhns] / ˈɪg nər əns /

noun

  1. the state or fact of being ignorant; lack of knowledge, learning, information, etc.

ignorance British  
/ ˈɪɡnərəns /

noun

  1. lack of knowledge, information, or education; the state of being ignorant

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • self-ignorance noun

Etymology

Origin of ignorance

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English word from Latin word ignōrantia. See ignore, -ance

Compare meaning

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I copy her finger motion, feigning ignorance, even though I know what she’s talking about.

From Literature

The grouse appeared to pity Clare for his ignorance—a look he did not appreciate.

From Literature

Crowds took to the capital's streets from 13:00 GMT on Saturday, with placards displaying messages including "fight ignorance not immigrants" and "reject racist lies" visible.

From BBC

As Isaac Asimov observed, “There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been.”

From Salon

He only reveals further ignorance when Jay’s clarification—it’s James Baldwin he refers to—leads Leigh to add apologetically: “I don’t know all the Baldwin brothers by name. Was he the one in ‘Sliver’?”

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.