incredibilis Latin · revision 4509
15 Oct 2026, 23:25 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
Initial text
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=la crēdō}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [ɪŋ.kreːˈdɪ.bɪ.lɪs]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [iŋ.kreˈdiː.bi.lis]^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Forms==
+ '''incrēdibilis''' (neuter incrēdibile, adverb incrēdibiliter); third-declension two-termination adjective^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is [[af|la|in-|crēdibilis|t2=believable]],^(OLD 2012)^(Etymonline) with the negative prefix and [[m|la|crēdibilis]], from [[credo|alt=crēdō]] “to believe”.^(Köbler 2010)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Plautus, in the Rudens, has a fisherman say an amazing and incredible catch came to him.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant hard or impossible to believe, as Terence's incredible tales and Cicero's new and incredible kind of wrong, and then extraordinary, unparalleled, as Cicero speaks of an incredible, almost divine power of genius.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) With a supine it formed phrases like ''incrēdibile dictū'' “incredible to say”.^(Georges 1913) In Plautus it may mean of a person not to be believed, or else disbelieving.^(OLD 2012)
+
+ In medieval Latin it also meant not worthy of belief and unbelieving.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(MLW) [[en|incredible]] is recorded in the early 15th century.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of an incredible catch.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of incredible tales.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of extraordinary qualities.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * early 15th century – English ''incredible'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Adjective===
+ # Unbelievable, [[m|en|incredible]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # Extraordinary, unparalleled.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016)
+ # Not to be believed, unreliable.^(OLD 2012)^(Niermeyer 1976)
+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Unbelieving.^(Niermeyer 1976)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[incrēdibilitās]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[credibilis|alt=crēdibilis]]
+ * [[credo|alt=crēdō]]
+ * [[en|incredible]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}