Standard Lemma guide

credence

noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈkɹiː.dəns/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Canada, General-American: /ˈkɹi.dəns/
  • Canada, General-American: [ˈkɹi.ɾəns]
  • Maryland Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australian, New-Zealand: /ˈkɹiː.dəns/
  • rhymes with -iːdəns
  • CMU ARPABET: K R IY1 D AH0 N S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Acceptance of a belief or claim as true, especially on the basis of evidence.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Examples

  • Based on the scientific data, I give credence to this hypothesis.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Credential or supporting material for a person or claim.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: rare, uncountable

Examples

  • He presented us with a letter of credence.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A small table or credenza used in certain Christian religious services.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

Topics: lifestyle, religion

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: credence table

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A cupboard, sideboard, or cabinet, particularly one intended for the display of rich vessels or plate on open shelves.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A subjective probability estimate of a belief or claim.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

Examples

  • My credence in the proposition is around 90%.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To give credence to; to believe.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

a kind of sideboard or buffet

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: credenza

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: buffet, counter, sideboard

8

noun

Meaning 8

the mental attitude that something is believable and should be accepted as true

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he gave credence to the gossip
  • acceptance of Newtonian mechanics was unquestioned for 200 years

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: acceptance

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: attitude, mental attitude

Narrower terms: fatalism, recognition

History

Etymology

From Middle English credence, from Old French credence, from Medieval Latin crēdentia (“belief, faith”), from Latin crēdēns, present active participle of crēdō (“loan, confide in, trust, believe”). Compare French croyance, French créance, Italian credenza, Portuguese crença, Romanian credință, Spanish creencia. Doublet of credenza.

Across languages

Translations

39 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: вяра (vjara) — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Bulgarian: доверие (doverie) — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Dutch: aanvaarding — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Dutch: geloof — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Dutch: aanname — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Finnish: uskottavuus — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • French: crédit — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • German: Glauben — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • German: Vertrauen — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Japanese: 信任 (shin'nin) — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Middle English: credence — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Portuguese: crédito — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Portuguese: crença — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Russian: ве́ра (véra) — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Scottish Gaelic: creideas — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Spanish: crédito — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Swedish: trovärdighet — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Dutch: aanbeveling — credential or supporting material for a person or claim
  • Dutch: ondersteuning — credential or supporting material for a person or claim
  • Dutch: bewijs — credential or supporting material for a person or claim
  • German: Beglaubigung — credential or supporting material for a person or claim
  • German: Empfehlung — credential or supporting material for a person or claim
  • German: Nachweis — credential or supporting material for a person or claim
  • Portuguese: crédito — credential or supporting material for a person or claim
  • Scottish Gaelic: creideas — credential or supporting material for a person or claim
  • Spanish: crédito — credential or supporting material for a person or claim
  • Catalan: credença — small table or credenza used in certain Christian religious services
  • Finnish: kredenssipöytä — small table or credenza used in certain Christian religious services
  • Russian: же́ртвенник (žértvennik) — small table or credenza used in certain Christian religious services
  • German: Kredenz — cupboard, sideboard, or cabinet
  • Bulgarian: вярвам (vjarvam) — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Bulgarian: доверявам се (doverjavam se) — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Bulgarian: доверя се (doverja se) — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Dutch: aanvaarden — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Dutch: aannemen — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Dutch: geloven — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • German: Glauben schenken — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • German: Vertrauen schenken — acceptance of a belief or claim
  • Portuguese: acreditar — acceptance of a belief or claim