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niais

naive

adjective nyeh Rare
Descriptions & Qualities Personality

Origin: Old French niais 'nestling (bird)', implying inexperience

Also means

simpleminded

Usage Note

Niais describes someone who is foolishly naive or slow-witted, with a tone of gentle mockery. The feminine form is niaise, and the noun la niaiserie means 'silliness' or 'twaddle'. It is slightly stronger than naïf — while naïf can be charming, niais tends to suggest a lack of sharpness. Common in informal speech.

Examples

"Ne sois pas si niais, c'est une blague évidente."

Natural Translation

Don't be so naive, it's an obvious joke.

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