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incredible

[in-kred-uh-buh l]
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adjective
  1. so extraordinary as to seem impossible: incredible speed.
  2. not credible; hard to believe; unbelievable: The plot of the book is incredible.
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Origin of incredible

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English word from Latin word incrēdibilis. See in-3, credible
Related formsin·cred·i·bil·i·ty, in·cred·i·ble·ness, nounin·cred·i·bly, adverb
Can be confusedincredible incredulous

Synonyms

See more synonyms for incredible on Thesaurus.com
2. farfetched, astonishing, preposterous.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for incredibility

Historical Examples

  • It was this awesomeness, this incredibility, that overwhelmed her.

    The Side Of The Angels

    Basil King

  • Neopa looked at him with her fawn-like eyes large with incredibility and hope.

    The Snow-Burner

    Henry Oyen

  • For all its incredibility, the adventure lacks every element of surprise.

  • The situation was incredible, and waxed daily in incredibility.

    Mr. Prohack

    E. Arnold Bennett

  • But it was idle to talk of the incredibility of such instances.

British Dictionary definitions for incredibility

incredible

adjective
  1. beyond belief or understanding; unbelievable
  2. informal marvellous; amazing
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Derived Formsincredibility or incredibleness, nounincredibly, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for incredibility

incredible

adj.

early 15c., "unbelievable," from Latin incredibilis "not to be believed," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + credibilis "worthy of belief" (see credit). Used c.1400 in a now-extinct sense of "unbelieving, incredulous." Related: Incredibly.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper