innocuous

[ih-nok-yoo-uhs]

adjective

1. not harmful or injurious; harmless.

   an innocuous home remedy.

2. not likely to irritate or offend; inoffensive; an innocuous remark.

3. not interesting, stimulating, or significant; pallid; insipid.

   an innocuous novel.

innocuous

/ ˌɪnəˈkjuːɪtɪ, ɪˈnɒkjʊəs /

adjective

1. having little or no adverse or harmful effect; harmless

Other Word Forms

• innocuously adverb
• innocuousness noun
• innocuity noun
• uninnocuous adjective
• uninnocuously adverb
• uninnocuousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of innocuous¹

From the Latin word innocuus, dating back to 1590–1600. See in- ³, nocuous

Word History and Origins

Origin of innocuous¹

C16: from Latin innocuus harmless, from _in- ¹ + nocēre to harm

Example Sentences

One is likely to be largely innocuous: removing numerous outdated occupations, such as “nut sorters” and “egg processors,” from its database and adding occupations that have emerged during the digital age, such as web designers.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Their relationship unraveled after an innocuous inquiry three years ago.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

U.K. officials say China’s information-gathering abilities are beyond anything Britain has seen in terms of scale, ranging from cyberattacks to seemingly innocuous requests for information made directly to businesses and academics.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The virus is spread through blood or other body fluids and can be contracted through something as innocuous as sharing a nail clipper or toothbrush, doctors say.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Then there’s Jimmy Kimmel, whose late-night show was suspended on Sept. 17 for an innocuous comment he made with which the White House took umbrage.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• banal 
• bland 
• inoffensive 
• insipid 
• painless