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Question

Difficulty: MediumRoot Word Analysis

The new recruit was surprisingly credulous when listening to tall tales around the barracks. What does the word credulous most nearly mean?

  1. A
    skeptical
  2. B
    believable
  3. gullibleAnswer
  4. D
    dishonest

Answer

gullible
The word 'credulous' is derived from the Latin root 'cred' (meaning 'to believe') combined with the suffix '-ulous' (meaning 'tending toward'). Therefore, a credulous individual tends to believe statements too easily without demanding proof, which precisely defines 'gullible'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the Latin root and suffix of the target word
The word 'credulous' contains the root 'cred' (to believe or trust) and the suffix '-ulous' (tending to or inclined toward).
Identifying morphological components reveals the core meaning of the term.
2
Synthesize the morphological breakdown with the sentence context
A person who is 'credulous' is disposed to believe statements without requiring evidence or critical examination.
Applying the root definition to context establishes that accepting tall tales readily indicates being easily fooled.
3
Evaluate the answer choices to identify the exact synonym
'Gullible' matches the meaning of being easily duped or overly trusting.
Distractors representing antonyms, phonetically similar words, or unrelated negative traits must be eliminated.

Key Concept

Root Word Analysis using Latin root 'cred' (to believe)
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Root Word Analysis

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