naive
or na·ïve
[ nah-eev ]
/ nɑˈiv /
adjective
having or showing unaffected simplicity of nature or absence of artificiality; unsophisticated; ingenuous.
having or showing a lack of experience, judgment, or information; credulous: She's so naive she believes everything she reads. He has a very naive attitude toward politics.
having or marked by a simple, unaffectedly direct style reflecting little or no formal training or technique: valuable naive 19th-century American portrait paintings.
not having previously been the subject of a scientific experiment, as an animal.
QUIZZES
CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS FROM "LITTLE WOMEN"
"Little Women" may be a classic, but that doesn't mean we all know the meanings of the vocab words from the book. Can you define these words correctly and make Jo proud?
Question 1 of 10
earnest
Origin of naive
SYNONYMS FOR naive
OTHER WORDS FROM naive
na·ive·ly, adverbna·ive·ness, nounun·na·ive, adjectiveun·na·ive·ly, adverbWords nearby naive
nairu, naismith, naismith's rule, naissance, naissant, naive, naive realism, naivety, naiveté, najaf, nakasone
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for naive
British Dictionary definitions for naive
naive
nave naf
/ (naɪˈiːv) /
adjective
- having or expressing innocence and credulity; ingenuous
- (as collective noun; preceded by the)only the naive believed him
artless or unsophisticated
lacking developed powers of analysis, reasoning, or criticisma naive argument
another word for primitive (def. 5)
noun
Derived forms of naive
naively, navely or nafly, adverbnaiveness, naveness or nafness, nounWord Origin for naive
C17: from French, feminine of naïf, from Old French naif native, spontaneous, from Latin nātīvus native, from nasci to be born
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
Medical definitions for naive
naive
adj.
Lacking worldliness and sophistication.
Simple and credulous as a child.
Not previously subjected to experiments.
Not having previously taken or received a particular drug.
n.
One who is artless, credulous, or uncritical.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.