different between spectacular vs incredible

English

Etymology

From Latin spectaculum (“a sight, show”) + -ar

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /sp?k?tæk.j?.l?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /sp?k?tæk.j?.l?/
• Rhymes: -ækj?l?(?)
• Hyphenation: spec?tac?u?lar

Adjective

spectacular (comparative more spectacular, superlative most spectacular)

1. Amazing or worthy of special notice.

   The parachutists were spectacular.

2. (dated) Related to, or having the character of, a spectacle or entertainment.

   the merely spectacular

   • 1681, George Hickes, “A Sermon Preached before the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Citizens of London”:

     The like clamour, and outcry, the Rabble of the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles made again?t Polycarp Bi?hop of Smyrna, at the time of his Martyrdom. crying out again?t him to the Governour, that he ?hould ca?t him to the Lyons, and when he an?wered them he could not, becau?e the Spectacular ?ports were concluded, then they cry’d out, Burn him, burn him, ju?t as the Jews cryed out again?t Chri?t to Pilate, Crucify him, crucify him.
3. Relating to spectacles, or glasses for the eyes.

Derived terms

• spectacularly
• unspectacular

Related terms

• spectacle
• species
• speculate

Translations

Further reading

• spectacular in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• spectacular in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Noun

spectacular (plural spectaculars)

1. A spectacular display.
   • 2010, "Under the volcano", The Economist, 16 Oct 2010:

     Though business has more or less held up so far, a series of drug-related spectaculars sparked an exodus of the city's upper class this summer.

2. (advertising) A pop-up (folded paper element) in material sent by postal mail.
   • 1966, Hanley Norins, The Compleat Copywriter

     Here are a few examples of "spectaculars," or three-dimensional pieces, including those which have won awards […]

Romanian

Etymology

From French spectaculaire

Adjective

spectacular m or n (feminine singular spectacular?, masculine plural spectaculari, feminine and neuter plural spectaculare)

1. spectacular

Declension

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin incr?dibilis (“that cannot be believed”), from in- (“not”) + cr?dibilis (“worthy of belief”), from cr?d? (“believe”).

Pronunciation

• (US) enPR: ?ngkr?'d?b?l, IPA^(key): /???k??d?b?l/, [????k??????b??], [????k??????b??]
• (UK) IPA^(key): /???k??d?b?l/
• Rhymes: -?d?b?l

Adjective

incredible (comparative more incredible, superlative most incredible)

1. (literally) Too implausible to be credible; beyond belief; unbelievable. [from 15th c.]
   • 1980 September 16, Senator John Glenn, quoted in William A. Schwartz et al., The Nuclear Seduction: Why the Arms Race Doesn’t Matter—And What Does, University of California Press (1990, 1993), ?ISBN, page 29:

     I get lost in what is credible and not credible. This whole thing gets so incredible when you consider wiping out whole nations, it is difficult to establish credibility.

   • 2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin 2010, page 796:

     He therefore found revealed religion incredible in a literal sense, and, as Bayle had done before him, he radically separated morality from the practice of organized religion.

2. (figuratively) Amazing; astonishing; awe-inspiring.

3. (figuratively) Marvellous; profoundly affecting; wonderful.

Synonyms

• unbelievable

Antonyms

• credible

Related terms

Translations