Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “innocency” come from?

Innocency derives from Latin innocentia, formed from the prefix in- (not) and nocentia (harm), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European neḱ- meaning to kill or harm.

innocency (English): Innocence; the state of being free from guilt or...

Definitions

  1. Innocence; the state of being free from guilt or...

Ancestry of “innocency”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latininnocentiainnocence; uprightness, integrity; vocative...
2Latininnocensharmless, inoffensive, innoxious; blameless,...
3Latinīn-—
4Latinîn—
5Latinenlookǃ beholdǃ; reallyǃ?; come onǃ
6Proto-Italicenin
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁énin
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁én →