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credentialis

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word credentialis

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1215 Foedera More words from the 13th century
Ultimate origin
Latin crēdentia
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin crēdentia
English credence
Latin crēdentiālis
English credential

Forms

crēdentiālis (neuter crēdentiāle); third-declension two-termination adjective[1] It is also spelled credencialis.[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin crēdentia (“belief, trust”) + -ālis.[1][3] crēdentia comes from crēdō (“to entrust, believe”),[1] which goes back to Proto-Indo-European *ḱred-dʰeh₁- (“to place (in?) the heart”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is a Medieval Latin word, used above all in litterae credentiales, letters of credence.[5] The DMLBS's first record is from 1215, of letters to King Philip of France.[6]

Semantic evolution

The phrase litterae credentiales named the letters that vouched for an envoy or agent, credentials.[5][6] In Hungarian charters the adjective also meant attesting a delegated authority, trustworthy.[2]

Timeline

  • 1215 – Letters of credence to King Philip of France are called litterae credentiales.[6]
  • 1269 – A Hungarian charter mentions an abbot's letters of credence.[2]
  • 1386 – A Polish document acts by virtue of letters of credence.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (Medieval Latin) Of credence: litterae credentiales, letters of credence, credentials.[5][6][3]
  2. (Medieval Latin, law) Attesting a delegated authority; trustworthy.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  2. ^ a b c d Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
  3. ^ a b c d Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
  4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  6. ^ a b c d Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
Cite this entry

“Credentialis.” Etymologically, 7 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/la/credentialis. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·