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DictionaryRoot: nocere
Latin

nocere

to harm

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Child with clean empty hands stands beside an overturned paint pot while pet cat has paint on paws, clear freedom from blame, no words.
noun

innocence

IN-uh-suhns/ˈɪnəsns/

Freedom from participation in wrongdoing.

Etymology
inLatinnot; without
+nocLatinto harm
+enceLatina state or quality

The underlying idea is ‘not harming’: Latin innocens meant both harmless and blameless. Innocence names that condition of doing no wrong, hence freedom from guilt or blame.

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