credit
cred-it · noun
Definitions
noun
- 1.
The ability to obtain goods or services before payment, based on the trust that payment will be made in the future.
- 2.
Public acknowledgment or praise for achievement or quality.
- 3.
A unit of study counting toward a degree or diploma.
- 4.
An entry recording a sum received, listed on the right-hand side of an account.
Forms
plural: credits
Phrases & expressions
- •give credit where credit is due — to acknowledge someone's achievement fairly
- •credit card — a card allowing purchases on credit
- •to one's credit — deserving praise for something
- •credit score — a numerical rating of creditworthiness
Related words
Etymology
From Middle French crédit, from Italian credito, from Latin creditum meaning "a loan, thing entrusted," neuter past participle of credere meaning "to trust, believe." The sense of "honor, acknowledgment" developed in the 16th century.