ignorance
UK[ˈɪɡnərəns]US[ˈɪɡnərəns]
n
lack of knowledge, information, or education about something
Morpheme Breakdown
i
gnor
ance
i
not
gnor
to know
ance
state or condition
Etymology
the word 'ignorance' has a direct lineage from latin 'ignorantia', which itself is built from the verb 'ignorare', meaning 'not to know'. the verb 'ignorare' combines the negative prefix 'in-' and the root 'gnarus' (knowing), derived from the proto-indo-european root ǵneh₃-, meaning 'to know'. the suffix '-antia' was used to form abstract nouns indicating a state or quality. thus, the literal construction 'the state of not knowing' has remained semantically consistent from its latin origins into modern english, precisely describing a lack of knowledge.
Analysis
Structure: i (not) + gnor (to know) + ance (state or condition)
i: latin prefix, a form of 'in-' meaning 'not'.
gnor: latin root from 'gnoscere'/'noscere', meaning 'to know'.
ance: latin suffix '-antia', forming nouns denoting a state or condition.
Examples
his ignorance of the local customs led to an embarrassing mistake.
the policy was born out of sheer ignorance, not malice.
there is a vast difference between innocence and ignorance.