Naïve
/naɪˈiːv/
adjectiveB2
Definition
Naïve describes a person or behavior that is innocent and trusting, sometimes too much so. It means not having much experience or knowledge about how things really work, especially in difficult or tricky situations.
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See It in Action
Innocent and trusting, lacking experience
- •She was naïve to believe that everyone would help her.
- •His naïve questions showed he had never worked in business before.
- •The naïve student thought the test would be easy.
Simple and not complicated in understanding or style
- •The painting has a naïve style, like it was made by a child.
- •His naïve way of explaining things made the story easy to follow.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "naïve" like "young" or "simple," but with an idea that someone trusts easily and may not see danger
- ✓Picture a child believing everything adults say because they don’t yet know about lies or tricks
- ✓It's the feeling you get when someone is very honest and open but might be easily fooled or surprised by the world
- ✓Sounds like "nigh-EEV" → imagine a bright, open face saying "naïve" with a soft, clear voice, like a gentle question about the world
- ✓Think of fairy tales where characters trust strangers too quickly and get into trouble because they are naïve
- ✓NOT like "smart" (knows many things) but "naïve" means not knowing enough yet
- ✓NOT like "careless" (ignores problems on purpose), naïve means not knowing the problems at all
- ✓NOT like "rude" (bad manners), naïve is about innocence and trust, not manners
Try Other Words
- •Gullible: easily tricked or fooled (Use when someone is too trusting and often deceived)
- •Unsophisticated: simple and not experienced with complex things (Use when lacking knowledge about the world or society)
- •Childlike: having qualities like a child, such as innocence or trust (Use when emphasizing innocence and simplicity)
- •Green: inexperienced or new to something (Use in informal speech about lack of experience)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix) — the word comes whole from another language
- •Etymology: From French "naïf," from Latin "nativus" meaning "native" or "natural"
- •Historical development: Entered English in the 17th century to describe natural, innocent qualities often linked to youth or inexperience
- •Modern usage: Used to describe people who trust others too easily or who do not understand complex or bad sides of situations; also used in art or style to mean simple and honest
Reflect & Connect
•Can being naïve sometimes be a good thing? When might it help someone?
•How do people learn to stop being naïve? What experiences change their view?
Fill in the blanks
1.She was ___ to believe that everyone would tell her the truth without hiding anything.
2.Being ___ can make a person friendly, but it can also cause them to ___ problems.
3.Unlike a careful person, a naïve person may not ___ the risks in a situation.
4.When someone is described as naïve, it often means they trust too ___.
5.The artist’s ___ style made the painting look simple but full of feeling.
6.People who are ___ often learn quickly after facing ___ in the real world.
7.It is easy for a ___ person to be ___ by someone who wants to take advantage of them.