nescience

UK: /ˈnɛsɪəns/ US: (nesh′əns, nesh′ē əns, nes′ē-)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

nesc•ience  (nesh′əns, nesh′ē əns, nes′ē-), n. 

1. lack of knowledge;
   ignorance.
2. agnosticism.

• Late Latin nescientia ignorance, equivalent. to ne- not + scientia knowledge; see science
• 1605–15

nes′cient, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

nescience / ˈnɛsɪəns/ noun

1. a formal or literary word for ignorance

Etymology: 17th Century: from Late Latin nescientia, from Latin nescīre to be ignorant of, from ne not + scīre to know; compare science

ˈnescient adjective