ingénue

American  

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

Or ingenue

noun

ingénues plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• ingénues
  plural

Etymology

Origin of ingénue

First recorded in 1840–50; from French, feminine of ingénu, from Latin ingenuus “native, inborn”; see origin at ingenuous; see also 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

See Examples For:

ingénue ingénues

For Early it was also a chance to fulfill his longtime desire to play an old-school ingénue.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2026

In these images Sellers—a comic giant at the height of his career—acts as an eager paparazzo chasing after the self-assured ingénue.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026

The last verse, and the album's closing words, are addressed to pop music's next young ingénue.

From BBC ● Apr. 19, 2024

The eager cosmopolitan ingénue of the film stills is visible only in the rearview mirror.

From New York Times ● Jan. 24, 2024

"You used to say you did not believe in the ingénue."

From The Marriage of Elinor by Oliphant, Mrs. (Margaret)

While the best actress award has often gone to ingénues, the best actor award has rarely gone to men below the age of 40.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 22, 2026

“I had my 36th birthday on ‘King Kong’ — I was still playing ingénues.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 20, 2025

Sitting next to a casting director as a line of secondary ingénues streamed past, Dan said, “I vote for her,” and she got the part.

From Golf Digest ● Mar. 8, 2019

“People want women in food media to be ingénues or broads,” she says, adding that she is neither.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 2, 2018

She stood before the screen, certain she could practically smell the restaurant, the heavy perfumes of a room full of divas and ingénues.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

Related Words

• babe
• ingénue