Credence
[KREE-dns]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Anglo-Norman, 14th century
1.
Belief in or acceptance of something as true.
2.
The likelihood of something being true; plausibility.
Examples of Credence in a sentence
"Charlotte gave no credence to the rumor the hotel was haunted and booked a room for the weekend."
"My sister-in-law is a vet tech, so that lends credence to all advice she gives about our family pets."
About Credence
“Credence” is based on the Anglo-Norman “credenz,” meaning “belief” or “credit.” This was itself based on the Latin “crēdentia,” meaning “belief” or “faith.”
Did you Know?
“Credence” refers to one’s belief in the truth of a matter, but it is one of a family of words having to do with belief, faith, and trust. Credence’s most familiar relative is “credential,” meaning “qualification proving suitability.” It is also closely related to “credo,” meaning “a statement of beliefs that guide one’s actions.” The word even shares a distant root with “credit” in the Latin word “crēdere,” meaning to trust or lend money to. A person would only give credit to a person whose circumstances they gave credence to — though credentials often help in establishing the necessary trust.
