incredibly
Meaning
to an extreme degree; very
in a manner that is difficult to believe; unbelievably
Structure
Usage
the concert was incredibly popular, with tickets selling out in minutes.
she performed incredibly well under immense pressure.
it is incredibly rare to see such a phenomenon with the naked eye.
Etymology
the word 'incredibly' is built upon the latin verb 'credere', meaning "to believe, trust", which itself may trace back to the proto-indo-european root kerd- meaning "heart", the metaphorical seat of trust. the prefix 'in-' negates this root, forming the core meaning of "not believable". the suffix '-ibly' adapts the adjective 'incredible' into an adverb, describing the manner of an action. thus, the literal progression is from "not to be believed" to describing something done to an unbelievable degree, a common path for intensifying adverbs in english.
Analysis
- in: latin origin, a prefix meaning "not". - cred: latin origin, from the root 'credere' meaning "to believe". it functions as the core semantic root. - ibly: latin origin, an adverbial suffix derived from '-ibilis' (able to be), forming adverbs meaning "in a manner that can be...".