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Did you know that Lewis and Short's dictionary doesn't contain the word "gullible"? That is an appropriate question for the first of April, but it turns out that I indeed found no trace of that word. Perhaps I'm missing English synonyms for someone who is naive and easily fooled. What would be a good classical Latin word, noun or adjective, for this kind of a person?

Joonas Ilmavirta
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2 Answers2

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Perhaps credulus?

credula nec ravos timeant armenta leones

gullible cattle no longer fear tawny lions

Horace, Epodes, 16.33

Credula si fueris, aliae tua gaudia carpent

If you are gullible, other women will seize your joys

Ovid, Ars Amatoria, 3.661

Haec enim etiam in fabulis stultissima persona est improvidorum et credulorum senum.

For even on the stage the silliest characters are improvident and gullible old men.

Cicero, De Amicitia, 26.100

Penelope
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    Looks perfect! I get the feeling that the diminutive adds a nuance of mockery, which I find appropriate. – Joonas Ilmavirta Apr 01 '18 at 09:30
  • @JoonasIlmavirta Yes, I overlooked that but I think you're right! – Penelope Apr 01 '18 at 09:33
  • You even find it in English, albeit usually in the negated form (incredulous). – JAB Apr 02 '18 at 00:09
  • @JoonasIlmavirta: Which diminutive? – DaG Apr 02 '18 at 12:47
  • @DaG The -ulus in credulus. It could have been simply credere > credus (like fidere > fidus), but instead it's credulus. – Joonas Ilmavirta Apr 02 '18 at 13:04
  • @JoonasIlmavirta: I see. Are you sure that it is a diminutive? There other Latin adjectives in -ulus that – I believe – are not diminutive, like sedulus, tremulus and so on. Again, I believe it is just a particular kind of word formation from some roots, but I'd like to hear from someone more knowledgeable. – DaG Apr 02 '18 at 13:09
  • @DaG No, I'm not sure at all whether that kind of -ulus should actually be understood as a diminutive. That would be a very interesting question to have on the site. If you want to go and ask it, I have an upvote waiting with your name on it. I'd be glad to understand all this better. – Joonas Ilmavirta Apr 02 '18 at 13:12
  • @JoonasIlmavirta: Great, thanks, good idea! – DaG Apr 02 '18 at 13:13
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The English verb 'gull' means 'deceive', and 'gullible' is derived from it. Penelope's credulus is excellent (and, indeed, is the word that I would choose), but I should like to point out decipiendus as an apt alternative.

Tom Cotton
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