Definition of CREDENZAS

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

In the entrance hall of his and Lopez’s New York City apartment, a pair of large framed photographs sit side by side on a credenza. — Ben Reiter, SI.com, "'What's a Scarlet Letter?' The Improbable Reinvention of A-Rod," 25 June 2019 For media and clothing storage, try looking for something vintage, like a beautiful mid-century credenza. — Kelly Dawson, House Beautiful, "How to Design a Bachelor Pad That Isn’t a Total Cliché," 15 May 2019 This means my entire jewelry collection is sprawled out across my credenza and all of my hangers are jam packed with clothing. — Tara Gonzalez, Glamour, "The Best Bandeau Bikini in the World Is On Sale Right Now," 23 May 2019 The credenza was flanked by oil paintings of Swift's cats, as well as a rendering of the Dixie Chicks (which has prompted more than a little speculation on their possible contribution to a forthcoming album). — Hadley Keller, House Beautiful, "All the Home Decor Items You Can Shop in Taylor Swift's "ME" Video," 26 Apr. 2019 Always try to layer in as much beautiful storage space as possible—a gorgeous credenza that can hide files and paperwork, or even beautiful wooden boxes that can house small but necessary items, like paper clips. — Liz Cantrell, ELLE Decor, "How to Make Your Office a "Home Away From Home"," 25 Feb. 2019 Don’t just rely on the in-ceiling lighting—make sure to bring in a great desk lamp, table lamps on a credenza, or a floor lamp. — Liz Cantrell, ELLE Decor, "How to Make Your Office a "Home Away From Home"," 25 Feb. 2019 All the wiring and a slew of devices—including a Roku, Nintendo Switch, and a surround-sound receiver—are concealed in a sleek white credenza. — Jenny Xie, Curbed, "Designing a smart home for seamless entertainment," 4 Sep. 2018 For this young family's TV room (on the right), a vintage James Mont credenza in a high-gloss Chinese red lacquer makes a daring, modern statement. — Sarah Bray, House Beautiful, "How To Reimagine Vintage Pieces in a Contemporary Space," 3 Mar. 2014

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'credenza.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.