nescience

Definition

The absence of knowledge, especially of orthodox beliefs.

Etymology

From Latin nescientia, from the present participle of nescire.

Example Sentences

• "Better to have honest nescience than to have militant ignorance."
• "To lapse from knowledge into nescience is always possible—there is no law of God or man forbidding it."
• "Many a day we had been twenty-two out of the twenty-four hours in the saddle, each taking it in turn to lead through the darkness while the others let their heads nod forward over the pommel in nescience."