credibility
Meaning
the quality of being trusted and believed in
the quality of being convincing or believable
Structure
Usage
The scandal severely damaged the politician's credibility with voters.
Scientific claims require evidence to establish their credibility.
The witness's changing story undermined her credibility in court.
Etymology
The word 'credibility' is built upon the Latin verb 'crēdere', meaning 'to believe, trust, or entrust'. This root is also the source of English words like 'credit', 'credence', and 'creed'. The suffix '-ibility' is a compound of '-ible' (capable of) and '-ity' (state or quality), ultimately deriving from Latin '-ibilitās'. Therefore, the literal construction is 'the quality of being capable of being believed'. Over time, this evolved from a simple descriptor of believability to a more abstract and crucial concept in modern discourse, denoting the trustworthiness and persuasive power of a person, institution, or statement.
Analysis
- cred: From Latin 'crēdere' (to believe, trust). In English, it functions as a bound root meaning 'belief' or 'trust'. - ibility: A suffix forming nouns, from Latin '-ibilitās', indicating the quality or state of being able to be [verb-ed]. In this word, it signifies 'the quality of being believable'.