artless

English

Etymology

From art +‎ -less.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɑɹt.lɪs/
• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)tlɪs

Adjective

artless (comparative more artless, superlative most artless)

1. Having or displaying no guile, cunning, or deceit.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:naive

   Antonyms: see Thesaurus:naive

   • 1749, [John Cleland], “(Please specify the letter or volume)”, in Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure [Fanny Hill], London: […] [Thomas Parker] for G. Fenton [i.e., Fenton and Ralph Griffiths] […], →OCLC:

     And why should I here suppress the delight I received from this amiable creature, in remarking each artless look, each motion of pure undissembled nature, betrayed by his wanton eyes

   • 1815, Jane Austen, Emma, volume III, chapter 18:

     I am convinced of her being an artless, amiable girl, with very good notions, very seriously good principles, and placing her happiness in the affections and utility of domestic life.

   • 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 19, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:

     What passions our friendships were in those old days, how artless and void of doubt!

2. Free of artificiality; natural.

   This pendant has artless charm.

3. Lacking art, knowledge, or skill; uncultured and ignorant.
4. Poorly made or done; crude.

Derived terms

• artlessly
• artlessness

 

Translations

without guile or cunning

• Esperanto: naiva (eo), simplanima, senartifika
• Irish: soineanta
• Ottoman Turkish: ساده (sade), طوی (toy)
• Persian: بی‌دغل (bi-dağal), بی‌شیله‌پیله (bi-šile-pile) (informal)
• Spanish: cándido (es)

natural

• Bulgarian: естествен (bg) (estestven), непринуден (bg) (neprinuden)
• Esperanto: senarta
• Spanish: natural (es)

lacking art or skill

poorly made, crude

Anagrams

• streals, Salters, salters, lasters, Lasters, ratless, strales, slaters, resalts, tarsels