Word: ingenuous (adjective)

Associations

The word "ingenuous" describes someone who is honest, innocent, and open, often in a simple or trusting way. It means a person shows sincerity and does not hide their feelings or thoughts.

• She gave an ingenuous smile, showing she truly meant what she said. (Here, ingenuous means sincere and honest.)
• The child's ingenuous questions surprised the adults because they were so direct and innocent. (Innocent and trusting.)
• His ingenuous nature made him easy to trust, as he never pretended to be someone else. (Open and genuine.)

A well-known similar word is "ingenious," but they are very different. "Ingenious" means clever or skillful, while "ingenuous" means innocent and honest. Be careful not to confuse them!

Substitution

Other words you can use instead of "ingenuous" are:

• sincere (shows true feelings)
• innocent (lacking experience or deceit)
• candid (open and honest)
• naive (sometimes meaning too trusting or inexperienced)

Each word changes the meaning slightly. For example, "naive" can sometimes have a negative meaning (too trusting), while "ingenuous" is more neutral or positive about innocence.

Deconstruction

"Ingenuous" comes from Latin "ingenuus," meaning "free-born" or "noble," which later took the meaning of honest and innocent.

• Prefix: "in-" here does not mean "not" but is part of the root.
• Root: "genuus" related to "born" or "natural."
• Suffix: "-ous" means "full of" or "having the quality of."

So "ingenuous" means having the quality of being natural, honest, or innocent.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when someone was ingenuous with you? How did it make you feel?
• How is being ingenuous different from being naive in your experience?
• Can you imagine a situation where being ingenuous might be a problem? Why or why not?