ingenuous

Definitions

Here in- means 'in/inborn,' NOT 'not.' From Latin ingenuus = 'native, free-born.' Free-born Romans were assumed to be candid and unguarded, so ingenuus came to mean frank and innocent — open the way a child is, with nothing hidden.

Why It Means This

ingenuous is one of English's nastiest traps because of its lookalikes. It shares the gen- 'born' root with genuine (real) — the ingenuous person is genuinely open. But it is NOT ingenious (clever, from ingenium), and adding dis- gives disingenuous (fake-innocent). Three words, one root, three very different meanings.

Common Collocations

• 1.ingenuous smile天真的微笑
• 2.ingenuous remark坦率的话
• 3.ingenuous manner单纯的举止

Example Sentences

• 1.

  Her ingenuous remarks charmed everyone at the table.

• 2.

  He gave an ingenuous smile, clearly hiding nothing.

• 3.

  It was an ingenuous question, asked with real curiosity.

Easily Confused

ingenuous vs ingenious vs disingenuous — ingenuous = naive, frank (an ingenuous child). ingenious = clever, inventive (an ingenious solution) — different root (ingenium = inborn talent). disingenuous = fake-naive, hiding motives. The trap: ingenuous and ingenious differ by one letter but are near opposites in tone.