Ig"no*rant (?), a. [F., fr. L. ignorans, -antis, p. pr. of ignorare to be ignorant. See Ignore.] 1. Destitute of knowledge; uninstructed or uninformed; untaught; unenlightened.

He that doth not know those things which are of use for him to know, is but an ignorant man, whatever he may know besides.

2. Unacquainted with; unconscious or unaware; -- used with of.

Ignorant of guilt, I fear not shame.

3. Unknown; undiscovered. [Obs.]

Ignorant concealment.

Alas, what ignorant sin have I committed?

4. Resulting from ignorance; foolish; silly.

His shipping,
Poor ignorant baubles! -- on our terrible seas,
Like eggshells moved.

Syn. -- Uninstructed; untaught; unenlightened; uninformed; unlearned; unlettered; illiterate. -- Ignorant, Illiterate. Ignorant denotes want of knowledge, either as to single subject or information in general; illiterate refers to an ignorance of letters, or of knowledge acquired by reading and study. In the Middle Ages, a great proportion of the higher classes were illiterate, and yet were far from being ignorant, especially in regard to war and other active pursuits.

In such business
Action is eloquence, and the eyes of the ignorant
More learned than the ears.

In the first ages of Christianity, not only the learned and the wise, but the ignorant and illiterate, embraced torments and death.

Ig"no*rant, n. A person untaught or uninformed; one unlettered or unskilled; an ignoramous.

Did I for this take pains to teach
Our zealous ignorants to preach?

• of or pertaining to ignorance