innocuous
/ɪˈnɒkjʊəs
/adjective
Not harmful or offensive: it was an innocuous question...
- The question is why an innocuous Hollywood film should provoke such a reaction.
- There are a number of issues here from what at the outset appears a pretty innocuous question.
- At least one good thing I can say about this film is that it is fairly innocuous and gentle.
Synonyms
harmless, safe, non-dangerous, non-poisonous, non-toxic, non-irritant, non-injurious, innocent;
edible, eatable, wholesome
rare innoxious
inoffensive, unobjectionable, unexceptionable, unoffending, harmless, mild, peaceful, gentle, tame, insipid;
anodyne, bland, unremarkable, commonplace, run-of-the-mill
Derivatives
innocuously
/ adverb ...- There's some social housing, an old people's home, a bit of office space… and a small squat brick building lying innocuously in someone's front garden.
- The Minister would dial the number of a prominent leader in the rival camp and innocuously leave the phone on, so that the rival camp would get graphic details of the discussions.
- I smile and say something innocuously non-committal.
innocuousness
/ noun ...- Other errors logged here have varying levels of innocuousness.
- Cultural, legal, and scientific controversy swirls around the innocuousness, risks, or benefits of marijuana use and confuses public and professional perceptions.
- But that's the hallmark of true evil - the sort that seduces you with its innocuousness and destroys you when you least expect.
Origin
Late 16th century: from Latin innocuus, from in- 'not' + nocuus 'injurious' (see nocuous).
- safety belt
- safety bicycle
- safety boat
- safety box
- safety cab
- safety cage
- safety car
- safety catch
- safety chain
- safety committee
- safety-critical
- safety curtain
- safety deposit
- safety distance
- safety engineer
- safety engineering
- safety factor
- safety film
- safety first
- safety-firster
- safety fund
- safety fuse
- safety glass
- safety harness
- safety house