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

Best for Small Spaces Burrow’s sleek Totem credenza is a welcome addition to small living rooms. —Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 21 Jan. 2026

Avoid blocking windows with tall furniture; a low-profile credenza or shelf might be a better choice than a wardrobe. —Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Jan. 2026

Maximize functionality by using an existing piece of furniture such as a low credenza as a TV stand. —Kristin Hohenadel, The Spruce, 20 Jan. 2026

The missing files, which were available Friday but no longer accessible by Saturday, included images of paintings depicting nude women, and one showed a series of photographs along a credenza and in drawers. —Aamer Madhani, Fortune, 21 Dec. 2025

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