Definitions for ignorance
ˈɪg nər ənsig·no·rance

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. ignorancenoun

   the lack of knowledge or education

WiktionaryRate this definition:3.9 / 7 votes

1. ignorancenoun

   The condition of being uninformed or uneducated. Lack of knowledge or information.

2. Ignorancenoun

   A personification of ignorance.

3. Etymology: From ignorance.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Ignorancenoun

   Etymology: ignorance, French; ignoratio, Latin.

   1. Want of knowledge; unskilfulness.

   If all the clergy were as learned as themselves are that most complain of ignorance in others, yet our book of prayer might remain the same. Richard Hooker, b. v.

   Ignorance is the curse of God,
   Knowledge the wing wherewith we fly to heav'n. William Shakespeare.

   Still banish your defenders, 'till at length
   Your ignorance deliver you,
   As most abated captives, to some nation
   That won you without blows! William Shakespeare, Coriolanus.

   If he have power,
   Then veil your ignorance; if none, awake
   Your dangerous lenity. William Shakespeare, Coriolanus.

   If we see right, we see our woes;
   Then what avails it to have eyes?
   From ignorance our comfort flows,
   The only wretched are the wise! Matthew Prior.

   2. Want of knowledge discovered by external effect. In this sense it has a plural.

   Forgive us all our sins, negligences, and ignorances. C. Pray.

   Punish me not for my sins and ignorances. Tob. iii. 2.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Ignorance

   Ignorance is a lack of knowledge and understanding. The word "ignorant" is an adjective that describes a person in the state of being unaware, or even cognitive dissonance and other cognitive relation, and can describe individuals who are unaware of important information or facts. Ignorance can appear in three different types: factual ignorance (absence of knowledge of some fact), object ignorance (unacquaintance with some object), and technical ignorance (absence of knowledge of how to do something).

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:4.7 / 3 votes

1. Ignorancenoun

   the condition of being ignorant; the want of knowledge in general, or in relation to a particular subject; the state of being uneducated or uninformed

2. Ignorancenoun

   a willful neglect or refusal to acquire knowledge which one may acquire and it is his duty to have

3. Etymology: [F., fr. L. ignorantia.]

FreebaseRate this definition:4.0 / 4 votes

1. Ignorance

   Ignorance is a state of being uninformed. The word ignorant is an adjective describing a person in the state of being unaware and is often used as an insult to describe individuals who deliberately ignore or disregard important information or facts. Ignoramus is commonly used in the US, the UK, and Ireland as a term for someone who is willfully ignorant. Ignorance is distinguished from stupidity, although both can lead to "unwise" acts. Writer Thomas Pynchon articulated about the scope and structure of one's ignorance: "Ignorance is not just a blank space on a person's mental map. It has contours and coherence, and for all I know rules of operation as well. So as a corollary to [the advice of] writing about what we know, maybe we should add getting familiar with our ignorance, and the possibilities therein for writing a good story." The legal principle that ignorantia juris non excusat, literally "ignorance of the law is no excuse", stands for the proposition that the law applies also to those who are unaware of it.

Dictionary of Nautical TermsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. ignorance

   If a loss happen through the ignorance of the master of a ship, it is not considered as a peril of the sea; consequently the assurers are not liable. Nor is his ignorance of admiralty-law admissible as an excuse.

Matched Categories

1. • Cognitive Content

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'ignorance' in Nouns Frequency: #2791

Anagrams for ignorance »

1. enorganic

How to pronounce ignorance?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say ignorance in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of ignorance in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of ignorance in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of ignorance in a Sentence

1. John Masefield:

   There are few earthly things more beautiful than a university ... a place where those who hate ignorance may strive to know, where those who perceive truth may strive to make others see.

2. Dudley Sharp:

   So often, it seems, that willful ignorance is, now, the default position for absolute certainty. Dudley Sharp, 2019

3. AiR:

   Why do we shuttle between joy and sorrow? Between yesterday and tomorrow? It is because of our ignorance. We live, we cry and we die.

4. Michael Jackson:

   Prejudice is ignorance.

5. Roger Bacon:

   There are in fact four very significant stumblingblocks in the way of grasping the truth, which hinder every man however learned, and scarcely allow anyone to win a clear title to wisdom, namely, the example of weak and unworthy authority, longstanding custom, the feeling of the ignorant crowd, and the hiding of our own ignorance while making a display of our apparent knowledge.

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