ingénue

American  

[an-zhuh-noo, -nyoo, an-zhey-ny] / ˈæn ʒəˌnu, -ˌnyu, ɛ̃ ʒeɪˈnü /

Or ingenue

noun

plural

ingénues

1. an artless, innocent, unworldly girl or young woman.

   Navy and cocoa browns are good neutrals for the ingénue, and the right creamy beige or pearl gray are good choices for her more classic outfits.

2. the role of a young, innocent, and appealing character in a play, movie, TV show, etc., typically a female role.

3. an actress or actor who plays such a role or specializes in playing such roles.

4. a young actress or actor.

   At the awards event, natural diamonds were the gemstone of choice for both Hollywood ingenues and veterans alike.

5. a young, inexperienced person.

   The ailing leader Kim Jong Il sought to transfer power to his youngest son, a political ingenue in his 20s.

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ingénue British  

/ ɛ̃ʒeny, ˌænʒeɪˈnjuː /

noun

1. an artless, innocent, or inexperienced girl or young woman

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Etymology

Origin of ingénue

First recorded in 1840–50; from French, feminine of ingénu, from Latin ingenuus “native, inborn”; ingenuous; ingenuity ( def. )

Explanation

What do Ophelia, Snow White, and Sandy from the movie "Grease" all have in common? You could call each one an ingénue, or a young female character in literature or film who is wholesome and innocent. Ingénue comes from the French ingénu meaning "ingenuous, innocent." The term is used to describe the innocent girl stock character in film or literature. She's usually gentle, sweet, virginal, and pretty naive — which makes her susceptible to the harsh dangers of the world. Ingénue can also be used to describe an actress who specializes in playing this kind of character specifically.

Example Sentences

This woman should be smoking cigarettes in a Parisian cafe, not getting up to the bubbly mischief Van der Velden envisions for her ingénue.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 6, 2025

Pickett explains: "I wasn't really interested in her being an ingénue."

From BBC • Sep. 20, 2025

The younger women are the most vulnerable to this idealistic image people have for us to have it all figured out before the clock strikes 30, and we are no longer the young ingénue.

From Salon • Nov. 3, 2023

Fast-forward eight years, and Courtney, 24, is portraying another strong-willed ingénue, Juliet, on Broadway.

From New York Times • May 30, 2023

When Miss Anglin first appeared as Roxane last night, a sigh went up from all parts of the house: 'Here's another blond and simpering ingénue.'

From The Scrap Book, Volume 1, No. 1 March 1906 by Various

Related Words

• babe
• ingénue