innocence

/ˈɪnəsn̩s/

//ˈɪnəsn̩s// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"innocence" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“innocence” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #9,196 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#9,196
frequency rank, English
9
letters
12
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Absence of responsibility for a crime, tort, etc.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

innocence vs innocent
78% similar
innocence vs insolence
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for innocence
PropertyValue
Headwordinnocence
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɪnəsn̩s/
Letters9
Frequency rank#9,196
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “innocence” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). innocence lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for innocence is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɪnəsn̩s/. Corpus data places it at rank #9,196 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for innocence, with forms such as "inncoence", "innocance", and "innoccence". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "innocent", "insolence", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English innocence, from Old French innocence, inocence, from Latin innocentia. Doublet of innocency. Displaced native Old English unsċyld. The correct English form is innocence, spelled I-N-N-O-C-E-N-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Absence of responsibility for a crime, tort, etc.
  2. 2
    Lack of understanding about sensitive subjects such as sexuality and crime.
  3. 3
    Lack of ability or intention to harm or damage.
  4. 4
    Imbecility; mental deficiency.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English innocence, from Old French innocence, inocence, from Latin innocentia. Doublet of innocency. Displaced native Old English unsċyld.

Synonyms

blamelessnesscleannessinculpabilityinnocenceinnocencyguiltlessnessunguilt

Antonyms

guilt

This word in other languages

inocencia(Español)innocence(Français)Unschuld(Deutsch)inocência(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: inncoence,innocance,innoccence,innocecne,innocencce,innocenec,innocennce,innocnece,innoecnce,inocence,inoncence,ninocence

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of innocence - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

inncoence2innocance1innoccence1innocecne2innocencce1innocenec2innocennce1innocnece2
Edit distance from "innocence"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "innocence"?
"innocence" is spelled I-N-N-O-C-E-N-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɪnəsn̩s/.
What does "innocence" mean?
As a noun, "innocence" means: Absence of responsibility for a crime, tort, etc.
What words are commonly confused with "innocence"?
"innocence" is commonly confused with "innocent", "insolence". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "innocence"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "innocence" is /ˈɪnəsn̩s/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "innocence"?
Inherited from Middle English innocence, from Old French innocence, inocence, from Latin innocentia. Doublet of innocency. Displaced native Old English unsċyld. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “innocence”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-N-O-C-E-N-C-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɪnəsn̩s/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “innocent” - see the side-by-side comparison. innocence vs innocent
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list