naif
naif Lexical Profile
naif Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person who is naive, innocent, or lacking in worldly experience and sophistication.
"Despite his reputation as a political naif, the young senator quickly mastered the complexities of legislative negotiation."
• adjective
Showing a lack of worldly experience, sophistication, or critical judgment; naive or artless.
"The critic praised the painter's naif style, which captured rural village life with unstudied charm."
Word Nuance & Usage
In modern English, 'naif' (borrowed from the French masculine form) is most commonly used as a noun meaning a naive person, whereas 'naive' (from the French feminine form) is the standard adjective.
• Rhymes for naif
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 16th century from French naïf (masculine of naïve), from Old French, ultimately from Latin nativus ('native, natural, not artificial'), from natus ('born').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.