Where does “gullible” come from?

gullible (English) comes from English gull, from Middle English gulle, from Proto-Brythonic gwuɨlann, from Proto-Celtic wailannā, from Proto-Indo-European wai — oh!; woe!.

gullible (English): Easily deceived or duped; naive, easily cheated...

Definitions

  1. Easily deceived or duped; naive, easily cheated...

Ancestry of “gullible”, step by step

gullible traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English gull

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgullA seabird of the genus "Larus" or of the family...
2Middle Englishgullefriendly
3Proto-Brythonicgwuɨlannseagull, gull
4Proto-Celticwailannāseagull
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwaioh!; woe!

via Middle English gole

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishgole—
2Old Norsegulryellow
3Proto-Germanicgulazyellow
4Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰelh₃-to flourish; green, yellow

Words derived from “gullible”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European wai →
gullible — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer