Learn Greek › B2 › αφελής
αφελής
naive /a.feˈlis/
adjectiveB2#3000 most common
Also: artless, guileless, ingenuous
Example sentences
Ο Νίκος είναι πολύ αφελής.
Nikos is very naive.
Μην είσαι τόσο αφελής, θα σε εξαπατήσουν.
Don't be so naive, they'll deceive you.
Ήταν μια αφελής ερώτηση, αλλά ειλικρινής.
It was a naive question, but a sincere one.
Το χαμόγελό της ήταν αφελές και γλυκό.
Her smile was artless and sweet.
Οι αφελείς επενδυτές έχασαν τα χρήματά τους στην απάτη.
The naive investors lost their money in the scam.
Η αφελής πεποίθηση ότι η τεχνολογία θα λύσει όλα τα προβλήματα οδήγησε σε σοβαρά λάθη.
The naive belief that technology would solve every problem led to serious mistakes.
Declension
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | αφελής (neut. αφελές) | αφελείς (neut. αφελή) |
| Genitive | αφελούς | αφελών |
| Accusative | αφελή (neut. αφελές) | αφελείς (neut. αφελή) |
| Vocative | αφελή (neut. αφελές) | αφελείς (neut. αφελή) |
Word family
αφέλειαnaivety, artlessness
αφελώςnaively
αφελέστεροςmore naive (comparative)
αφελέστατοςmost naive (superlative)
Etymology
Αφελής comes from Ancient Greek ἀφελής, an old adjective meaning plain, simple, or without artifice. It is formed with the alpha-privative prefix ἀ- (not, without), attached to a root whose further origin is not securely established. Over time the sense narrowed from general simplicity to the more specific idea of naivety or gullibility. The word has stayed in continuous use from antiquity into Modern Greek with this meaning largely intact.
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