(in′ə·sənt) adjective
1. Not tainted with sin; pure; ignorant of evil; blameless: an innocent babe.
2. Free from the guilt of a particular evil action or crime.
3. Free from qualities that can harm or injure; innocuous; harmless.
4. Of artless or ingenuous disposition; naive.
5. Not maliciously intended: an innocent lie, an innocent remark.
6. Free from liability to forfeiture; not contraband; lawful; permitted.
7. Lacking in knowledge or sense; simple or ignorant; imbecile.
8. Lacking in worldly knowledge: an innocent girl.
9. Entirely lacking; devoid: with of: innocent of grammar.
—noun
1. One unstained by sin.
2. A young child.
3. A simpleton.
4. The bluet.
—the Innocents The children put to death by Herod: commemorated Dec. 28. Matt, ii 16. [<OF <L innocens, -entis <in- not + nocens, ppr. of nocere harm]
—in′no·cent·ly adverb Synonyms (adj.): blameless, clean, clear, faultless, guileless, guiltless, harmless, immaculate, innocuous, innoxious, inoffensive, pure, right, righteous, sinless, spotless, stainless, upright, virtuous. Innocent, in the full sense, signifies not tainted with sin; not having done wrong or violated legal or moral precept or duty; as, an innocent babe. Innocent is a negative word, expressing less than righteous, upright, or virtuous, which imply knowledge of good and evil, with free choice of the good. A little child or a lamb is innocent; a tried and faithful man is righteous, upright, virtuous. Immaculate, pure, and sinless may be used either of one who has never known the possibility of evil or of one who has perfectly and triumphantly resisted it. Innocent, in a specific case, signifies free from the guilt of a particular act, even when the total character may be very evil; as, The thief was found to be innocent of the murder. See CANDID, PURE. Antonyms: compare synonyms for CRIMINAL.

(in′ə·sənt, Fr. ē·nō·sän′)
A masculine personal name; also, the appellation of 13 popes. Also Lat. In·no·cen·tius (in′ə·sen′·shəs, Du. in′ə·sen′sē·s; Ger. in′ə·tsen′tsē·s), Ger. In·no·cenz (in′ə·tsents), Ital. In·no·cen·te (ēn′nō·chen′tā) or In·no·cen·zio (ēn′nō·chen′·dzyō), Sp. I·no·cen·ci·o (ē′nō·then′thē·ō). [<L, blameless]
—Innocent I,
died 417, pope 402–17, condemned Pelagianism: canonized Saint Innocent.
—Innocent II,
died 1143, pope 1130–43, condemned Abelard: real name Gregorio Papareschi.
—Innocent III,
1161–1216, pope 1198–1216; raised the papal power to the highest point: real name Lotario de' Conti.
—Innocent IV,
died 1254, pope 1243–54; proclaimed a crusade against Frederick II: real name Sinibaldo de' Freschi.
—Innocent XI,
1611–89, pope 1676–89; quarreled with Louis XIV on the limitation of papal powers in France (see GALLICANISM): real name Benedetto Odescalchi.