creed

noun \ ˈkrēd \

Updated on: 2 Apr 2018

Definition of creed

1 : a brief authoritative formula of religious belief

the Nicene Creed

2 : a set of fundamental beliefs; also : a guiding principle

Never settle for mediocrity is his creed.
—Jill Lieber

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creedal

or credal play \ˈkrē-dᵊl\ adjective

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Examples of creed in a Sentence

central to the creed of this organization of medical volunteers is the belief that health care is a basic human right
the Amish live by a strict creed that rejects many of the values and practices of modern society

Recent Examples of creed from the Web

The designs also had to represent the community, but could not promote any race, color, creed, individual, group or religion.

— elizabeth marie himchak, Rancho Bernardo, "Winners announced in Rancho Bernardo flag contest," 23 Mar. 2018
In many ways, his creed directly borrowed from the long-standing positions of Europe's far right, combining a narrative of economic anxiety over globalization with seething cultural resentments about immigration.

— ishaan tharoor, Washington Post, "In Europe, Steve Bannon can still play the hero," 13 Mar. 2018
Think of the remarkable rise of that uniquely American creed Mormonism, and of charismatic evangelists like Aimee Semple McPherson and Billy Graham, and of the vast mega-churches.

— matthew cooper, Newsweek, "How the Presidential Candidates Found Their Faith," 2 Apr. 2015
But these ideas — raising taxes, viewing the government as responsible to its people, engaging in overtly partisan issues — violate the modern plutocrat’s creed.

— jacob silverman, Longreads, "The Billionaire Philanthropist," 13 Mar. 2018
This past Sunday, people of all races and creed gathered there again to commemorate the fateful day.

— sheena samu, CBS News, "Lawmakers reflect on Selma beyond Bloody Sunday," 7 Mar. 2018
For that crowd, American patriotism — love for our creeds of liberty and devotion to the Constitution — is already a dead letter.

— jonah goldberg, National Review, "American Nationalists Are Awfully Quiet about Russia," 16 Feb. 2018
They weren’t meant to build one people, to join us all under one color and creed, as one race, one America.

— jenn m. jackson, Teen Vogue, "Black History Month Isn't Racist, It's a Form of Reparations," 6 Feb. 2018
Most scarred by years of Soviet privation, Ledo’s darkly humorous mother from hell has long embraced the creed that one does whatever one must to survive – even if that means destroying one’s offspring to save them.

— mike fischer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Immigrant dreams curdle in devastating 'Russian Transport'," 21 Jan. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of creed

Middle English crede, from Old English crēda, from Latin credo (first word of the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds), from credere to believe, trust, entrust; akin to Old Irish cretid he believes, Sanskrit śrad-dadhāti

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First Known Use: before 12th century

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