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credibilis

Etymology and origin of the Latin word credibilis

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (crēdō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin credibilis
Latin incredibilis
English incredible

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [kreːˈdɪ.bɪ.lɪs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [kreˈdiː.bi.lis][1]

Forms

crēdibilis (neuter crēdibile, adverb crēdibiliter); third-declension two-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from crēdō “to believe” with the suffix -bilis.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citation is Plautus.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant capable of being believed, credible, conceivable, with crēdibile est “it is credible that”, as in Terence and Cicero.[2][5] Cicero defines the credible as what is confirmed by the hearer's opinion without a witness.[6] It also meant worthy of belief, plausible, of speech, as in Livy, and of suppositions probable.[2]

In Ecclesiastical and Medieval Latin it meant trustworthy, worthy of belief.[7][8][9] It survives in Italian credevole and Portuguese crível, and French crédible.[1] English credible was borrowed in the late 14th century, and English incredible comes from its negative incrēdibilis.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][4]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses crēdibile est.[5][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero defines the credible.[6][4]
  • late 14th century – English credible is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Credible, conceivable.[2]
  2. Plausible, convincing.[2]
  3. Probable, likely.[2]
  4. (Medieval Latin) Trustworthy.[9][8]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  9. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press

Derived terms

Cite this entry

“Credibilis.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/credibilis. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·