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naïveté

naivety, ingenuousness

noun nah-eev-TEH Rare
Mind & Emotions Personality

Origin: From naïf/naïve + -eté, from Latin nativus (native, natural).

Usage Note

Naïveté can be affectionate (childlike openness) or critical (foolish gullibility), depending on context. It passed directly into English as 'naivety.' The related adjective naïf (masculine) / naïve (feminine) keeps its diaeresis to signal that the aï is two syllables. Avec naïveté means naively.

Examples

"Sa naïveté le rendait vulnérable aux arnaques."

Natural Translation

His naivety made him vulnerable to scams.

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