naiveté

American  

[nah-eev-tey, -ee-vuh-tey, -eev-tey, -ee-vuh-] / nɑ ivˈteɪ, -ˌi vəˈteɪ, -ˈiv teɪ, -ˈi və- /

Also naivety, or naïveté,

noun

1. the quality or state of being naive; natural or artless simplicity.

2. a naive action, remark, etc.

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Etymology

Origin of naiveté

First recorded in 1665–75; from French; naive, -ity ( def. )

Explanation

If you suggest that world peace could be achieved by handing out cookies in warring nations, you would be revealing a certain amount of naivete. This is a lack of wisdom and sophistication. Naivete has four syllables and is pronounced nigh-eve-i-TAY. The root naïve is a French adjective meaning “natural, just born.” Because it suggests innocence or ignorance, naivete is often associated with children, who lack experience and knowledge. But plenty of adults, too, display a certain amount of naivete when they make assumptions based on ignorance, an inability to grasp a situation, or a tendency to oversimplify complex things.

Example Sentences

Bailey has a wide-eyed clueless cuteness that lends to her character’s well-meaning naiveté — even her missteps have a way of working out.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

“Dance No More” has a few squawky synths that hint at an appealingly analog ’80s feel, but everything is rendered so immaculately that any sense of naiveté is quickly snuffed out.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

Call it naiveté or just plain stupidity, but I showed up to my first day of class overconfident.

From Salon • May 25, 2025

Nor does she take the easy route of mistaking a young woman’s naiveté for passivity or victimhood, qualities that could scarcely be more absent from Spaeny’s intensely watchful performance.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 27, 2023

“They probably were. Our childish naiveté saved us.”

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia