Definition
Harmless and not likely to cause offense or injury; inoffensive and generally safe or benign. Often used to describe something that appears harmless but may be deceptively trivial.
Example Usage
The email seemed innocuous, but it contained a malicious link in the attachment.
Origin
From Latin 'innocuus' (not harmful), from 'in-' (not) + 'nocere' (to harm); first used in English in the early 17th century.
Fun Fact
In cybersecurity, seemingly innocuous messages are among the most effective attack vectors, as users let their guard down.
Source: Definition backfill (hailey)
Related Terms
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See “Innocuous” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
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