ingenuousness

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Latin ingenuuslbor.

English ingenuous

Proto-Germanic *-in-

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂

Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂

Proto-Indo-European *-yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti

Proto-Germanic *-ōną

Proto-Germanic *-inōną

Proto-Indo-European *-dyé-

Proto-Germanic *-atjaną

Proto-Indo-European *-tus

Proto-Germanic *-þuz

Proto-Germanic *-assuz

Proto-Germanic *-inassuz

Proto-West Germanic *-nassī

Old English -nes

Middle English -nesse

English -ness

English ingenuousness

From ingenuous + -ness.

Noun

ingenuousness (countable and uncountable, plural ingenuousnesses)

1. The condition of being ingenuous.
2. (countable) An ingenuous behavior.
   • 1930, Aldous Huxley, Brief Candles:

     Time passed; Moira grew up, chronologically; but Sir Watney went on treating her as a spoilt child, went on being enchanted by her birdy chirrupings and ingenuousnesses and impertinent enfant-terrible-isms.

Translations

the condition of being ingenuous — see also ingenuity

• French: ingénuité (fr) f
• Portuguese: ingenuidade (pt)