credulousness en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈkɹɛd͡ʒʊləsnəs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈkɹɛd͡ʒələsnəs/ (General-American)
- /ˈkɹɛd͡ʒələsnəs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
Etymology tree English credulous Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English credulousness From credulous + -ness.
Meanings
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(uncountable) The characteristic or state of being credulous; credulity
Credulousness is always more harshly judged than incredulousness, though they are both merely different aspects of the same fundamental failing, namely, lack of true scepticism.
1911 Oct, Ernest Jones, “The Psychopathology of Everyday Life”, in The American Journal of Psychology, volume 22, number 4, pages 525–6: