Innocence is the state of being free from guilt, wrongdoing, or knowledge of evil things. When someone is innocent of a crime, they didn't commit it. When a person is declared innocent in court, the jury has decided they did nothing wrong.

The word also describes a quality of purity and inexperience, especially in young children who haven't yet encountered the darker or more complicated parts of life. A five-year-old's innocence shows in how they might believe everything adults tell them or assume everyone is kind. This kind of innocence means not yet knowing about things like cruelty, deception, or danger. It reflects genuine trust and openness to the world.

People sometimes look back fondly on the innocence of childhood, remembering when they believed in magic more easily or when problems seemed simpler. But innocence applies beyond childhood. An adult can be innocent of understanding how computers work, or innocent of knowing anything about a surprise party being planned for them.

The opposite of innocence is guilt (when talking about crimes) or experience and worldliness (when talking about that childlike quality). When someone loses their innocence, they've learned something about the world that changes how they see things, usually in a disappointing or harsh way. Innocence, in this sense, is precious partly because once it's gone, it's difficult or impossible to get back.