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

Other quirky details of the ’60s-era file credenza include a lock that can be opened and closed with a coin (a subtle nod to the fact that the company was originally a hardware and lock business). —Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 30 June 2025

Concert Hall Credenza Save over $1,700 on this shabby chic credenza. —Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2025

That piece, along with the credenza from 2022, are now on view at Amanda Pratt’s new Villa AM gallery in the West Village until the end of the summer. —Curbed Editors, Curbed, 5 June 2025

Case Pieces Traditional case pieces, such as sideboards, china cabinets, and credenzas, can still look beautiful in today's dining rooms, explains Ashley DeLapp. —Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 22 May 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