How Do You Spell INCREDULOUS?

Pronunciation: [ɪnkɹˈɛdjʊləs] (IPA)

The spelling of the word "incredulous" is quite tricky due to the various sounds it contains. The first syllable starts with the "in-" prefix, pronounced as /ɪn/, and is followed by the "-cred-" root, pronounced as /ˈkrɛd/. The following "u-" sounds like /ju/ as in "you" and is followed by "-lous," pronounced as /ləs/. So the correct phonetic transcription of "incredulous" is /ɪnˈkrɛdʒələs/. This word means unwilling or unable to believe something.

INCREDULOUS Meaning and Definition

1. The adjective "incredulous" refers to a state of being unwilling or unable to believe something due to a feeling of disbelief, skepticism, or doubt. It describes a person who is skeptical or uncertain about the truth, reality, or authenticity of a particular proposition, claim, or situation. When someone is incredulous, they question the credibility, plausibility, or veracity of what has been presented to them. It conveys a sense of astonishment or disbelief in response to information that challenges one's preconceived notions or expectations.

   An incredulous individual exhibits hesitation, doubt, or suspicion when confronted with statements, ideas, or events that defy logic, common sense, or conventional wisdom. They may display a raised eyebrow, an expression of incredulity, or verbalize their skepticism through phrases such as "Are you serious?", "I can't believe it!", or "That's impossible!". Incredulousness can stem from a lack of evidence, conflicting information, or a disparity between perceived truth and actuality.

   It is important to note that being incredulous does not necessarily imply a permanent state of disbelief. It can be temporary, subject to change, or motivated by the need for more conclusive evidence. However, those who are habitually incredulous may possess a natural inclination towards skepticism, requiring significant persuading or substantial proof before accepting new information or ideas.

2. Not believing; indisposed to receive as true.

   Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for INCREDULOUS *

• incredious 43.75%
• encredulous 12.5%
• incredelous 12.5%
• incredoulous 12.5%

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for INCREDULOUS

• incredulious
• incredilous
• incredulas
• incredlous
• incredulos
• incresdulous
• increddulous
• incredulousy
• incredubulous
• incredulios
• incredablous
• increduliousy
• increduouls
• incredules
• increadulos

Etymology of INCREDULOUS

The word "incredulous" originated from the Latin word "incrēdulus", which is a combination of the prefix "in-" meaning "not" or "opposite", and the Latin word "crēdulus" meaning "believing" or "trusting". Hence, "incredulus" referred to someone who was not inclined to believe or trust. Over time, this Latin word evolved into "incrēdulus" in Old French, and finally, in the 16th century, it entered the English language as "incredulous" with the same meaning.

Similar spelling words for INCREDULOUS

• incredibility,
• uncredulous,
• encradles,
• increased,
• increase,
• incredulity,
• incredulously.