First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
incredible
adjective in·cred·i·ble \(ˌ)in-ˈkre-də-bəl\
: difficult or impossible to believe
: extremely good, great, or large
Full Definition of INCREDIBLE
1
: too extraordinary and improbable to be believed <making incredible claims>
2
: amazing, extraordinary <incredible skill> <an incredible appetite> <met an incredible woman>
— in·cred·i·bil·i·ty \-ˌkre-də-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun
— in·cred·i·ble·ness \-ˈkre-də-bəl-nəs\ noun
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Origin of INCREDIBLE
Middle English, from Latin incredibilis, from in- + credibilis credible
Related to INCREDIBLE
- Synonyms
- fantastic (also fantastical), implausible, inconceivable, incredulous, unbelievable, uncompelling, unconceivable, unconvincing, unimaginable, unthinkable, full of it
- Antonyms
- believable, cogitable, conceivable, convincing, credible, creditable, imaginable, plausible, supposable, thinkable
Rhymes with INCREDIBLE
INCREDIBLE Defined for Kids
incredible
adjective in·cred·i·ble \in-ˈkre-də-bəl\
Definition of INCREDIBLE for Kids
1
: too strange or unlikely to be believed <It was an incredible story.>
2
: extremely or amazingly good, great, or large <incredible strength>
— in·cred·i·bly \-blē\ adverb
Word Root of INCREDIBLE
The Latin word credere, meaning “to believe,” gives us the root cred. Words from the Latin credere have something to do with believing someone or something. Something credible is easy to believe, while something incredible is so out of the ordinary that it is difficult to believe. Giving credit to something someone says is believing that it is true.
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