naivete

If you suggest that world peace could be achieved by handing out cookies in warring nations, you would be revealing a certain amount of naivete. This is a lack of wisdom and sophistication.

Naivete has four syllables and is pronounced nigh-eve-i-TAY. The root naïve is a French adjective meaning “natural, just born.” Because it suggests innocence or ignorance, naivete is often associated with children, who lack experience and knowledge. But plenty of adults, too, display a certain amount of naivete when they make assumptions based on ignorance, an inability to grasp a situation, or a tendency to oversimplify complex things.