English
innocency
Innocency comes from Latin innocentia ‘innocence’, from nocēns ‘guilt, transgression’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *neḱ- ‘perish, disappear’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*neḱ-‘perish, disappear’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*noḱ-éye-tireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*nokeō‘to harm, hurt, injure’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEnoceō‘harm’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnocēnsas nocentia‘guilt, transgression’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinnocentia‘innocence’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500innocencie
- Englishearliest quotation 1603innocency
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*neḱ-‘perish, disappear’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*noḱ-éye-tireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*nokeō‘to harm, hurt, injure’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEnoceō‘harm’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnocēnsas nocentia‘guilt, transgression’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinnocentia‘innocence’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500innocencie
- Englishearliest quotation 1603innocency
Earliest quotation: 1603, Michel de Montaigne, The Essayes […]: “The verie names of Goodnesse and innocentie, are for…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *neḱ- ‘perish, disappear’
nectar, obnoxious, necropolis, internecine, 19 more
through Latin noceō ‘harm’
Today it means
noun Synonym of innocence: Harmlessness.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *neḱ- / innocency