The correct spelling of the phrase "wast credulous" can be tricky due to its archaic language. In IPA phonetic transcription, it is pronounced /wɑst ˈkrɛdʒələs/. The first word, "wast," is an old form of the word "was" and is pronounced /wɑst/. The second word, "credulous," means gullible or easily deceived and is pronounced /ˈkrɛdʒələs/. Together, "wast credulous" means "were gullible" or "were easily deceived," and is found in older literature such as Shakespeare's works.
The phrase "wast credulous" is a combination of two words with separate etymologies.
1. Wast: The word "wast" is an archaic form of the verb "was" in the second person singular of the past tense. It originated from Old English "wæs" and Middle English "wasten". Its etymology can be traced back to the West Germanic word "was", which means "to remain" or "to dwell".
2. Credulous: The word "credulous" derives from the Latin word "credulus", which means "believing" or "trusting". In Latin, "credulus" is derived from "credere", meaning "to trust" or "to believe". It entered Middle English through Old French, where it was based on the Latin form.