credulus Latin · revision 3814
15 Oct 2026, 20:26 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Cicero|origins=ine-pro *ḱred-dʰeh₁-}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈkreː.dʊ.ɫʊs]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkrɛː.du.lus]^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Forms==
+ '''crēdulus''' (feminine crēdula, neuter crēdulum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is [[af|la|crēdō|-ulus|t1=to believe, trust]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) ''Crēdō'' is [[m|itc-pro|*krezde/o-]], from [[ine-pro|*ḱred-dʰeh₁-|t=to place in the heart]], “to believe”.^(de Vaan 2008)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Köbler's first source is Cicero (81–43 BC).^(Köbler 2010) Cicero says the most foolish character in comedy is the improvident and credulous old man.^(Lewis & Short 1879)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant, of persons, prone to believe or trust, credulous.^(OLD 2012) Cicero speaks of a foolish and credulous listener and says he willingly shows himself credulous.^(Georges 1913) With a dative it meant trusting someone, as in Virgil and Horace, and Ovid uses it of a fish and Horace of cattle.^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016) Seneca calls ships ''credulae'', venturesome.^(Gaffiot 2016)
+
+ In medieval Latin it meant believing, devout, and trusted, and as a noun a faithful follower.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Köbler 2010) English ''credulous'' was borrowed in the 1570s.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of credulous old men in comedy.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it with a dative.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of venturesome ships.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 1570s – English ''credulous'' is borrowed.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Adjective===
+ # Prone to believe, [[m|en|credulous]], [[m|en|gullible]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # Trusting (in), confiding.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Believing, devout; trusted.^(Niermeyer 1976)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[crēdulitās]]
+ * [[incrēdulus]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[crēdibilis]]
+ * [[crēdibiliter]]
+ * [[crēditor]]
+ * [[crēditrīx]]
+ * [[crēditum]]
+ * [[crēdō]]
+ * [[incrēdibilis]]
+ * [[incrēdibilitās]]
+ * [[incrēdibiliter]]
+ * [[incrēditus]]
+ * [[en|credulous]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}