21 August 2014

ingénue

[an-zhuh-noo, -nyoo; French an-zhey-ny]

noun, plural ingénues [an-zhuh-nooz, -nyooz; French an-zhey-ny]

1. the part of an artless, innocent, unworldly girl or young woman, especially as represented on the stage.
2. an actress who plays such a part or specializes in playing such parts.

Also, ingenue.
Origin

1840-50; < French, feminine of ingénu < Latin ingenuus native, inborn, etc.; see ingenuous

Examples for ingénue
– The ingenue couldn’t see garden-variety jealousy when it smacked her with her own rising star.
– In the tragedy, she chain-smokes and fidgets, while in the comedy she has an ingenue ‘s golden glow.
– Her character is neither a simple ingenue nor a vamp.

Anagram

genuine

Today’s aphorism

There are no absolute rules of conduct, either in peace or war. Everything depends on circumstances.

– Leon Trotsky

On this day

21 August 1940 – death of Leon Trotsky, Russian revolutionary. Murdered by ice-pick wielding Rámon Mercader.

21 August 1970 – birth of Fred Durst, American rock vocalist with Limp Bizkit.

21 August – International Day of Lucid Dreaming. For further information check out this podcast on ABC radio