creed

creed

noun \ˈkrēd\

Definition of CREED

1

: a brief authoritative formula of religious belief

2

: a set of fundamental beliefs; also : a guiding principle

— creed·al or cre·dal \ˈkrē-d^əl\ adjective

Examples of CREED

1. <central to the creed of this organization of medical volunteers is the belief that health care is a basic human right>
2. <the Amish live by a strict creed that rejects many of the values and practices of modern society>

Origin of CREED

Middle English crede, from Old English crēda, from Latin credo (first word of the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds), from credere to believe, trust, entrust; akin to Old Irish cretid he believes, Sanskrit śrad-dadhāti

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to CREED

Synonyms

credo, doctrine, dogma, gospel, ideology (also idealogy), philosophy, testament

Related Words

manifesto; metaphysic, theory; axiom, tenet, watchword

Near Antonyms

agnosticism, know-nothingism; atheism, godlessness, nonbelief, secularism, unbelief

Other Religion (Eastern and Other) Terms

Zen, antinomian, avatar, gnosticism, illuminati, ineffable, karma, koan, mantra

Rhymes with CREED

bead, Bede, bleed, brede, breed, cede, deed, feed, Gide, gleed, greed, heed, keyed, knead, kneed, lead, mead, Mead, Mede, meed, need, plead, read, rede, reed, screed, seed, Snead, speed, steed, swede, treed, tweed, weed

creed

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Officially authorized, usually brief statement of the essential articles of faith of a religious community, often used in public worship or initiation rites. Creeds are most numerous in Western traditions. In Islam the shahada declares that only God is God and Muhammad is his prophet. In Judaism early creeds are preserved in Hebrew scripture, and later creeds include the Thirteen Principles of Faith. In Christianity the Nicene Creed was formulated in AD 381 to exclude Arianism, and the Apostles' Creed was drafted in the 8th century from earlier baptismal creeds. Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, and modern movements of Hinduism also possess creeds; in other religions faith is confessed chiefly through liturgical expressions.