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Webster 1913 Edition


Credence

Cre′dence

(krē′dens)
,
Noun.
[LL.
credentia
, fr. L.
credens
,
-entis
, p. pr. of
credere
to trust, believe: cf. OF.
credence
. See
Creed
, and cf.
Credent
,
Creance
.]
1.
Reliance of the mind on evidence of facts derived from other sources than personal knowledge; belief; credit; confidence.
To give
credence
to the Scripture miracles.
Trench.
An assertion which might easily find
credence
.
Macaulay.
2.
That which gives a claim to credit, belief, or confidence;
as, a letter of
credence
.
3.
(Eccl.)
The small table by the side of the altar or communion table, on which the bread and wine are placed before being consecrated.
4.
A cupboard, sideboard, or cabinet, particularly one intended for the display of rich vessels or plate, and consisting chiefly of open shelves for that purpose.

Cre′dence

,
Verb.
T.
To give credence to; to believe.
[Obs.]

Webster 1828 Edition


Credence

CREDENCE

,
Noun.
[See Creed.]
1.
Belief; credit; reliance of the mind on evidence of facts derived from other sources than personal knowledge, as from the testimony of others. We give credence to a historian of unsuspected integrity, or to a story which is related by a man of known veracity.
2.
That which gives a claim to credit, belief or confidence; as a letter of credence, which is intended to commend the bearer to the confidence of a third person.

Definition 2024


credence

credence

See also: crédence

English

Noun

credence (countable and uncountable, plural credences)

  1. (uncountable) Acceptance of a belief or claim as true, especially on the basis of evidence.
    Based on the scientific data, I give credence to this hypothesis.
  2. (rare, uncountable) Credential or supporting material for a person or claim.
    He presented us with a letter of credence.
  3. (religion, countable) A small table or credenza used in certain Christian religious services.
  4. (countable) A cupboard, sideboard, or cabinet, particularly one intended for the display of rich vessels or plate on open shelves.

Related terms

Translations

Verb

credence (third-person singular simple present credences, present participle credencing, simple past and past participle credenced)

  1. (obsolete) To give credence to; to believe.

Translations

References

  • credence” in An American Dictionary of the English Language, by Noah Webster, 1828.
  • credence in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • credence” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, v1.0.1, Lexico Publishing Group, 2006.
  • Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., 1989.

Old French

Alternative forms

  • credance

Etymology

Borrowing from Latin credentia. Compare croiance, creance.

Noun

credence f (oblique plural credences, nominative singular credence, nominative plural credences)

  1. faith; confidence