Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

naïf

/nɑːˈiːf/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 1.27 in modern English

Syllables: naif
IPA: /nɑːˈiːf/

6

Scrabble Score

4

Letters

1

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

noun

One who is naive.

Example Sentences

"Doenitz was naïf to assume that England would have stood idly by while Germany built up her U-boat force to four figures; but it was true enough that the German Navy was unprepared for a submarine war."
"Now I could see there was no real rogue here, but a naïf who thought that world would always turn for him."
"On “Fearless,” Swift sharpened her lyrical specificity, using proper nouns and detailed renderings of conversations and experiences to create an indelible image of Taylor Swift, the savvy naïf."

Etymology

Borrowed from French naïf. Doublet of native and neif.

Origin

Source language: French

Word Breakdown

Root: naïf

Inflected Forms

more naïf (comparative) most naïf (superlative) naif (alternative) naïfs (plural)

Derived Forms

naïfly naïfness

Phrases

faux-naïf semi-naïf

Rhymes With

chief in chief relief brief belief beef leaf grief thief reef motif tenerife

Questions

How do you pronounce naïf?: The recorded pronunciation is /nɑːˈiːf/.
What does naïf mean?: Naive.
Where does naïf come from?: It is traced to French.

How to pronounce naïf

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “naïf”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/nɑːˈiːf/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “naïf”.
Repeat and practice — Say “naïf” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.