credulous

[krej-uh-luh s] /ˈkrɛdʒ ə ləs/
adjective
1.
willing to believe or trust too readily, especially without proper or adequate evidence; gullible.
2.
marked by or arising from credulity:
a credulous rumor.
Origin
1570-80; < Latin crēdulus, equivalent to crēd(ere) to believe + -ulus adj. suffix denoting a quality or tendency; see -ous
Related forms
credulously, adverb
credulousness, noun
noncredulous, adjective
noncredulously, adverb
noncredulousness, noun
overcredulous, adjective
overcredulously, adverb
overcredulousness, noun
uncredulous, adjective
uncredulously, adverb
uncredulousness, noun
Can be confused
credible, credulous.
Synonyms
1. believing, trustful, unsuspecting.
Examples from the web for credulous
  • Stories circulated of credulous visitors for whom illusion displaced reality.
  • He is credulous on the one hand and intensely loyal on the other.
  • The law will afford relief even to the simple and credulous who have been duped by art and falsehood.
  • It may be, however, that the foolishness was in the critical editors rather than in the credulous people.
  • Falsehood took the place of fact and imposed upon credulous people.
British Dictionary definitions for credulous

credulous

/ˈkrɛdjʊləs/
adjective
1.
tending to believe something on little evidence
2.
arising from or characterized by credulity: credulous beliefs
Derived Forms
credulously, adverb
credulousness, noun
Word Origin
C16: from Latin crēdulus, from crēdere to believe
Word Origin and History for credulous
adj.

1570s, from Latin credulus "that easily believes, trustful," from credere "to believe" (see credo). Related: Credulously; credulousness.