Langimage
English

unbelieving

|un/be/liev/ing|

B2

/ˌʌnbɪˈliːvɪŋ/

(unbelieve)

skeptical

Base FormNounAdverb
unbelieveunbeliefunbelievingly
Etymology
Etymology Information

'unbelieving' originates from the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and the word 'believe', which comes from Old English 'belȳfan', meaning 'to have faith or confidence'.

Historical Evolution

'belȳfan' transformed into the Middle English word 'bileven', and eventually became the modern English word 'believe'.

Meaning Changes

Initially, it meant 'to have faith or confidence', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'not willing to accept something as true'.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Adjective 1

not willing to accept something as true; skeptical.

She gave him an unbelieving look when he told her the news.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:45