naiveté

or na·ïve·té, na·ive·te

[ nah-eev-tey, -ee-vuh-tey, -eev-tey, -ee-vuh- ]
See synonyms for naiveté on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the quality or state of beingnaive; natural or artless simplicity.

  2. a naive action, remark, etc.

Origin of naiveté

1
First recorded in 1665–75; from French; see naive, -ity
  • Also na·ive·ty, na·ïve·ty [nah-eev-tee, -ee-vuh-] /nɑˈiv ti, -ˈi və-/ .

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use naiveté in a sentence

  • He thought of Hilda separately, and he looked for her upon the boards with the naiveté of a desire to see the woman he knew.

    Hilda | Sarah Jeanette Duncan
  • They were more sincere, open-hearted, and passionate, as artists are; they exhibited a kind of child-like naiveté.

    We Philologists, Volume 8 (of 18) | Friedrich Nietzsche
  • He seemed older: the sentimental naiveté that had been always in his face seemed now entirely to have left him.

    The Dark Forest | Hugh Walpole
  • "But I am not hungry," said the baby, with most interesting naiveté.

    Bluebell | Mrs. George Croft Huddleston
  • In applying this test to Pamela, the author of Pamela Censured displays a curious mixture of naiveté and sophistication.

    Pamela Censured | Anonymous