ingénue
(æ̃ʒeny)
[Fr., fem. of ingénu ingenuous a.]
An artless, innocent girl or young woman; also, the representation of such a character on the stage, or the actress who plays the part. Also as adj. = ingenuous a. Hence ingénueism.
| 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair li. 454 When attacked sometimes, Becky had a knack of adopting a demure ingénue air, under which she was most dangerous. 1857 G. A. Lawrence Guy Liv. xxv. 239 Mars herself could hardly play the ingénues, when in mature age. 1883 J. Hawthorne Dust I. viii. 134 Was this lady more or less of a woman of the world than he had imagined? Was there not, after all, something of the ingénue about her? 1923 C. Mackenzie Seven Ages of Woman iii. 112 My dear, innocence is a charming and attractive quality; but do not be too ingénue. 1930 Daily Express 6 Oct. 5/3 French actresses grow in popularity and ingénueism the older they become. 1931 Times Lit. Suppl. 5 Mar. 161/4 Her French audiences, still demanding the ingénue, find her enigmatical and disquieting. 1958 Times 12 Nov. 3/5 The Nanetta..brings a vibrant line to music more ingénue than she suggests. 1967 C. O. Skinner Madame Sarah viii. 171 Every one of them, with the exception of an eighteen-year-old ingénue..declared to stay. 1973 Daily Tel. 16 May 15/2 And we were willing to put up with the quaint tale of the philandering husband and the sweet little ingénue Nanette. |