credit

1 of 2

noun

cred·​it ˈkre-dit 

1

: reliance on the truth or reality of something

gave credit to everything he said

Give no credit to idle rumors.

2

a

: the balance in a person's favor in an account

b

: an amount or sum placed at a person's disposal by a bank

c

: the provision of money, goods, or services with the expectation of future payment

long-term credit

also : money, goods, or services so provided

They exhausted their credit.

d(1)

: an entry on the right-hand side of an account constituting an addition to a revenue, net worth, or liability account

(2)

: a deduction from an expense or asset account

e

: any one of or the sum of the items entered on the right-hand side of an account

f

: a deduction from an amount otherwise due

3

a

: influence or power derived from enjoying the confidence of another or others

b

: good name : esteem

also : financial or commercial trustworthiness

4

archaic : credibility

5

: a source of honor

a credit to the school

6

a

: something that gains or adds to reputation or esteem : honor

He took no credit for his kindly act.

b

: recognition, acknowledgment

quite willing to accept undeserved credit

7

: recognition by name of a person contributing to a performance (such as a film or telecast)

the opening credits

8

a

: recognition by a school or college that a student has fulfilled a requirement leading to a degree

b

: credit hour

earned 15 credits last semester

credit

2 of 2

verb

credited; crediting; credits

transitive verb

1

: to trust in the truth of : believe

find his story hard to credit

2

: to supply goods on credit to

3

archaic : to bring credit or honor upon

4

a

: to enter upon the credit side of an account

b

: to place an amount to the credit of

credit his account with ten dollars

5

a

: to consider usually favorably as the source, agent, or performer of an action or the possessor of a trait

credits him with an excellent sense of humor

b

: to attribute to some person

They credit the invention to him.

Synonyms

Noun

• trust

Verb

• accredit
• ascribe
• attribute
• chalk up
• impute
• lay
• put down

Choose the Right Synonym for credit

Noun

belief, faith, credence, credit mean assent to the truth of something offered for acceptance.

belief may or may not imply certitude in the believer.

my belief that I had caught all the errors

faith almost always implies certitude even where there is no evidence or proof.

an unshakable faith in God

credence suggests intellectual assent without implying anything about grounds for assent.

a theory now given credence by scientists

credit may imply assent on grounds other than direct proof.

gave full credit to the statement of a reputable witness

influence, authority, prestige, weight, credit mean power exerted over the minds or behavior of others.

influence may apply to a force exercised and received consciously or unconsciously.

used her influence to get the bill passed

authority implies the power of winning devotion or allegiance or of compelling acceptance and belief.

his opinions lacked authority

prestige implies the ascendancy given by conspicuous excellence or reputation for superiority.

the prestige of the newspaper

weight implies measurable or decisive influence in determining acts or choices.

their wishes obviously carried much weight

credit suggests influence that arises from the confidence of others.

his credit with the press

Verb

ascribe, attribute, assign, impute, credit mean to lay something to the account of a person or thing.

ascribe suggests an inferring or conjecturing of cause, quality, authorship.

forged paintings formerly ascribed to masters

attribute suggests less tentativeness than ascribe, less definiteness than assign.

attributed to Rembrandt but possibly done by an associate

assign implies ascribing with certainty or after deliberation.

assigned the bones to the Cretaceous period

impute suggests ascribing something that brings discredit by way of accusation or blame.

tried to impute sinister motives to my actions

credit implies ascribing a thing or especially an action to a person or other thing as its agent, source, or explanation.

credited his teammates for his success

Examples of credit in a Sentence

Noun

banks that extend credit to the public

You need to have a strong credit history and a good job in order to get a mortgage.

A credit of $50 was added to your account.

All the credit must go to the play's talented director.

She's finally getting the credit she deserves.

He shared the credit with his parents.

You've got to give her credit; she knows what she's doing.

Verb

Your payment of $38.50 has been credited to your account.

The bank is crediting your account for the full amount.

They credited the rescue to his quick thinking.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Kent Nishimura—Bloomberg/Getty Images The Trump administration and MAGA Republicans should perhaps at least be given credit for consistency. —Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 16 May 2025

If your submission is selected for inclusion in the NPR News Quiz, you will be acknowledged in a list of contributors on NPR's website or otherwise receive appropriate credit, but failure to do so shall not be deemed a breach of your rights. —Holly J. Morris, NPR, 16 May 2025

Verb

During a recent legislative hearing, the program’s executive director credited it with helping to reduce the number of Florida children in foster care by 7,000. —Christopher O’Donnell, Miami Herald, 17 May 2025

Ryan credited an early three-run lead with making all the difference. —Dan Hayes, New York Times, 17 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French, from Old Italian credito, from Latin creditum something entrusted to another, loan, from neuter of creditus, past participle of credere to believe, entrust — more at creed

Verb

partly from credit entry 1; partly from Latin creditus, past participle — see credit entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1529, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb

circa 1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing credit

• bad credit risk
• consumer credit
• credit account
• credit card
• credit history
• credit hour
• credit limit
• credit line
• credit rating
• credit union
• full credit
• full credit for
• good credit risk
• letter of credit
• line of credit
• on the credit side
• redound to someone's credit/honor
• reflect credit on
• take the credit
• tax credit

Rhymes for credit

• dedit
• edit
• accredit
• discredit
• noncredit
• microcredit

Kids Definition

credit

1 of 2 noun

cred·​it ˈkred-ət 

1

: a balance in an account in a person's favor

debits and credits

2

: an amount or sum that a bank or company will let a person use

3

a

: trust given to a customer for future payment for goods purchased

extended them credit

buy on credit

b

: reputation for paying one's bills

check on a person's credit

c

: the providing of money or goods with the expectation of payment in the future

long-term credit

also : money or goods so provided

used up their credit

4

: credence, belief

a story that deserves little credit

5

: reputation for honesty or integrity : good name

6

: a source of honor

a credit to her school

7

: something that adds to a person's reputation or honor

got credit for the discovery

8

a

: official certification of the completion of a course of study

b

: a unit of academic work for which such certification is made

credit

2 of 2 verb

1

: believe sense 3

2

: to enter a sum on the credit side of

we'll credit your account with $10

3

a

: to think of as the source or performer of an action or having a quality

they credit you with quite a sense of humor

b

: to give the credit for to somebody or something

credited the rescue to her quick thinking

Etymology

Noun

from early French credit "reputation, permission to buy without paying immediately," from early Italian credito (same meaning), from Latin creditum "loan," derived from credere "to believe, trust, entrust" — related to credentials, creed, incredible

Legal Definition

credit

1 of 2 noun

cred·​it

1

: recognition see also full faith and credit

2

a

: the balance in an account which may be drawn upon and repaid later compare loan

b

: the use of resources (as money) in the present obtained by the debtor's promise to repay the creditor in the future usually with interest as compensation to the creditor and often secured by a pledge of property or the right to attach the debtor's income in case of a failure to repay see also consumer credit compare debt

c

: financial reputation

to borrow money on the credit of the United States

—U.S. Constitution art. I

d

: letter of credit

3

a

: a deduction from an expense or asset account

b

: a reduction of an amount otherwise due

especially : tax credit

a credit for child-care expenses

compare deduction, exclusion, exemption

credit

2 of 2 transitive verb

1

: to supply goods on credit to

2

: to trust in the truth of

3

a

: to enter upon the credit side of an account

b

: to place an amount to the credit of

credit his account with ten dollars