Unbelievable
/ˌʌn.bɪˈliː.və.bəl/noun
Difficult or impossible to believe; extraordinarily surprising.
Did you know?The core of believe traces to a Proto-Germanic root associated with holding something dear or valued, linking belief linguistically with love and desire.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*leubh-
“To care for, desire, or love”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*ga-laubjaną
“To believe, trust, or hold as dear”
Old English
Old English
gelēfan
“To believe, trust, or have faith in”
Middle English
Middle English
bileven
“To believe or consider true”
14th Century
English
unbelieven
“To disbelieve or regard as untrue”
Modern English
English
unbelievable
“Not able to be believed; extraordinarily surprising”