If someone is innocent, they have not done the wrong thing they are accused of. It can also mean simple, pure, or not yet aware of evil or harm.
It comes from Latin “innocens,” meaning “not harming” or “harmless,” from “in-” (not) and “nocere” (to harm). The word moved into English through Old French “innocent.”
An innocent person is, at its root, someone who does no harm. The same word can describe a legal verdict and a child who doesn’t yet understand cruelty. It shows how deeply we connect moral goodness with the idea of being harmless.
Like 'innocence', 'innocent' has been applied unevenly across genders, often idealizing women and girls as 'innocent' in ways that restrict their autonomy while excusing or minimizing men's responsibility. In courts and media, perceived 'innocence' has affected whose stories are believed.
Use 'innocent' for lack of wrongdoing without tying it to sexual behavior or gendered purity; avoid describing adults, especially women, as 'innocent' in infantilizing ways.
["not guilty","uninvolved","unaware"]
Women lawyers, journalists, and survivors have highlighted how selective labeling of some victims as 'innocent' can erase others' experiences and push for more equitable standards of belief and protection.
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