adjective
ignorant
IG-nur-unt/ˈɪɡnərənt/
Lacking knowledge or cultivated understanding.
The newcomer is ignorant of the knight's move until a friend demonstrates it.
Etymology
The participial ending turns “not to know” into a description of someone as “not knowing.” This directly underlies being unaware of something or lacking knowledge about it.
In context
Many high church officials were shockingly ignorant of basic Christian doctrine. They couldn't read Latin properly. They didn't understand the sacraments they performed.
More examples
- I'm ignorant about local history, but eager to learn.
- His ignorant remark about her accent offended everyone.
- Reading the report leaves me less ignorant about the problem.
Forms
ignorant · more ignorant · most ignorant
ignorance noun — A lack of knowledge or understanding.
ignorantly adverb — Without knowledge or understanding of something.
Similar words
- uninformed
- Lacking specific information rather than general knowledge or education.
- uneducated
- Emphasizes limited schooling rather than unfamiliarity with one subject.
- unaware
- Not conscious of a particular fact or situation.