unbelievable English · revision 8035

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1548}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˌʌnbɪˈliːvəbl̩/, /bi-/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|en|un-|believable]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ That cannot be believed; incredible: 1548 in the OED and MWU, the 1540s in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Unbelievably'' is from 1839.^(OED 1989) Unbelieved is from about 1600, not believed, but earlier, about 1200, the same word meant lacking faith.^(Etymonline) As a word of strong approval, astonishing, it is informal.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1200 – unbelieved, lacking faith.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1548 – unbelievable.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1839 – unbelievably.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Impossible to believe; [[incredible]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(informal)'' Astonishing, or extremely good.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[unbelievably]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[believe]]

+ * [[belief]]

+ * [[believable]]

+ * [[unbelief]]

+ * [[unbeliever]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}