I. Native, indigenous, not foreign.
B. Transf., inborn, innate, natural: “inest in hoc amussitata sua sibi ingenua indoles,” Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 38: “color,” natural color, Prop. 1, 4, 13. —
II. Free-born, born of free parents.
A. In gen.: ingenuus homo meant formerly one born of a certain or known father, who can cite his father: “en unquam fando audistis patricios primo esse factos, non de caelo demissos, sed qui patrem ciere possent, id est nihil ultra quam ingenuos,” Liv. 10, 8, 10: “ingenui clarique parentes,” Hor. S. 1, 6, 91; 1, 6, 8.—Esp., subst.: ingĕnŭus , i, m., and ingĕnŭa , ae, f., a free-born man or woman: ingenui sunt qui liberi nati sunt; “libertini, qui ex justa servitute manumissi sunt,” Gai. Inst. 1, 11: “tutela liberantur ingenuae, etc.,” id. ib. 1, 194; “but this word differs from liber, inasmuch as the latter signifies also a freedman,” Plaut. Mil. 4, 1, 15: “ingenuamne an libertinam,” id. ib. 3, 1, 189: “omnis ingenuorum adest multitudo,” Cic. Cat. 4, 7, 15: Patricios Cincius ait appellari solitos, qui nunc ingenui vocentur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 241 Müll.: libertinos ab ingenuis adoptari posse, Masur. ap. Gell. 5, 19, 11.—
B. In partic.
1. Worthy of a freeman, noble, upright, frank, candid, ingenuous (syn. liberalis): “nihil apparet in eo ingenuum,” Cic. Phil. 3, 11, 28; id. Off. 1, 42: “timiditas,” id. de Or. 2, 3: “dolor,” id. Phil. 10, 9, 18: “vita,” id. Fam. 5, 21, 3: est animi ingenui (with inf.), id. ib. 2, 6, 2: “ingenuis studiis atque artibus delectari,” id. Fin. 5, 18, 48: “(with humanae) artes,” id. de Or. 3, 6, 21: “ingenui vultus puer ingenuique pudoris,” Juv. 11, 154: “amor,” Hor. C. 1, 27, 16: “per gemitus nostros ingenuasque cruces,” and by such sufferings on the part of a freeman as belong only to slaves, Mart. 10, 82, 6: “fastidium,” Cic. Brut. 67: “aperte odisse magis ingenui est, quam, etc.,” id. Lael. 18, 65: “astuta ingenuum vulpes imitata leonem,” Hor. S. 2, 3, 186.—
2. Weakly, delicate, tender (free-born persons being less inured to hardships than slaves; poet.): “invalidae vires, ingenuaeque mihi,” Ov. Tr. 1, 5, 72: “gula,” Mart. 10, 82, 6.—Hence, adv.: ingĕnŭē , in a manner befitting a person of free or noble birth, liberally; openly, frankly, ingenuously: “educatus,” Cic. Fin. 3, 11, 38: “aperte atque ingenue confiteri,” id. Fam. 5, 2, 2; id. Att. 13, 27, 1: “pro suis dicere,” Quint. 12, 3, 3.