# naive

> English word · Adjective · IPA /naɪˈiːv/ · frequency rank #10,408

## Definitions
1. Lacking worldly experience, wisdom, or judgement; unsophisticated.
2. Not having been exposed to something.
3. Produced in a simple, childlike style, deliberately rejecting sophisticated techniques.
4. Intuitive; designed to follow the way ordinary people approach a problem.

## Etymology
Borrowed from French naïve, feminine form of naïf, from Latin nātīvus (“native, natural”). Doublet of native.

## Easily confused with
- **nav** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-nav)
- **name** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-name)
- **nice** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-nice)
- **nine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-nine)
- **navy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-navy)
- **Nike** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-nike)
- **Nate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-nate)
- **Nile** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-nile)
- **nave** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-nave)
- **nite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-nite)
- **neve** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-neve)
- **nape** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-nape)
- **noise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-noise)
- **nerve** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-nerve)
- **navel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-navel)
- **nance** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-nance)
- **native** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-native)
- **natives** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-natives)
- **naively** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-naively)
- **naivety** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-naivety)

## Common misspellings (6)
`anive`, `naiev`, `naivve`, `navie`, `niave`, `nnaive`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/naive