Standard Lemma guide

nescience

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈnɛsɪəns/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ˈnɛʃəns/
  • US: /ˈnɛsi.əns/
  • US: /ˈnɛʃiəns/

1

noun

Meaning 1

The absence of knowledge, especially of orthodox beliefs.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Better to have honest nescience than to have militant ignorance.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The doctrine that nothing is actually knowable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, philosophy, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

ignorance (especially of orthodox beliefs)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ignorantness, unknowing, unknowingness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: ignorance

History

Etymology

From Latin nescientia, from the present participle of nescire.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: неведение (nevedenie) — The absence of knowledge
  • Czech: neznalost — The absence of knowledge