Word of the Week- Incredulous

Today marks the first of many posts dedicated to the awesomeness of diverse speech. 


Each Monday I will post a new word or phrase that maybe you've never heard of or just haven't heard it often. I'll dig up the etymology (history) of the word or phrase and share it along with some usage tips. You just may be surprised at where some of our everyday speech comes from. 

*Note: All of my definitions are taken from Merriam-Webster's unless otherwise stated.

Word: Incredulous

Function: adjective

Definition: Unwilling to admit or accept what is offered as true; skeptical

Example: The Police Officer was incredulous of John's excuse that his wife fell down the stairs.

Etymology: circa ~1570 from the Latin incredulus- unbelieving.

Incredulous is not to be confused with incredible, something that cannot be believed or not worthy of belief. Skepticism is an attitude of doubt either in general or toward a particular object. It is the suspension of judgement, systematic doubt, or criticism of characteristics. A person is incredulous, an object is incredible.

I'm incredulous of anyone who claims an iPad is anything more than a giant iPod Touch.

 Can you tell the difference?

It's incredible to think that Shirtless has lasted this long thinking that a computer is a box with a magic genie inside (Damn you Windows Home Server commercial!).

So the next time you're incredulous of somebody's incredible story you'll know who to thank for clearing things up for you. Until next time :-) <-- (it's a smiley face)