credenza

noun

cre·​den·​za kri-ˈden-zə 

1

: credence sense 3

2

: a sideboard, buffet, or bookcase patterned after a Renaissance credence

especially : one without legs

Illustration of credenza

• credenza 2

Did you know?

In Italian credenza means “belief” or “confidence,” and confidence is just what a member of a noble or royal household needed before eating in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Being poisoned by one’s enemies was an ever-present danger. As a result, it was customary for members of royal or noble families to have a servant taste their food and drink after it left the kitchen and before it was served. The tasting was done at a dining room sideboard, and the name of the sideboard became credenza in Italian.

Examples of credenza in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Its long, trailing vines can spill over a hanging basket or shelf or creep along a credenza. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2026

Hilderbrand has colorful taper candles and funky candleholders all throughout her home, but none are featured like the all-blue tapers lining a credenza in her dining room. — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Aug. 2026

Nothing beats fresh blossoms on an entryway credenza, kitchen counter, or coffee table—that is, except for fresh blossoms that actually last. — Amelia Mularz, Architectural Digest, 22 July 2026

While the lobby areas and restaurants lean into the playful side of a contemporary art hotel, the rooms are more calming with neutral tones and the continuation of the lobby’s black marble in the credenzas and nightstands. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Italian, literally, belief, confidence, from Medieval Latin credentia

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for credenza

• cadenza
• influenza
• parainfluenza