Etymologically
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credibilitas

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Forms

crēdibilitās f (genitive crēdibilitātis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin crēdibilis + -tās.[1][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The DMLBS's earliest instance is a letter of 1252 asking that faith and credence be given to two citizens sent about the state of Gascony.[3][4]

Semantic evolution

In Medieval Latin it meant credence, the trust given to someone's word,[3][4] and Ecclesiastical Latin used it for credibility.[5] In the Latin of the Czech lands it also stood for orthodox faith.[6]

It is the source of English credibility, recorded from the 1590s,[2] and Wiktionary lists Italian credibilità, French crédibilité and Spanish credibilidad among its descendants.[1]

Timeline

  • 1252 – A letter asks that fides et credibilitas be given to two envoys.[3][4]
  • 1590s – English borrows it as credibility.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. credence, belief or trust given to someone.[3][4]
  2. credibility.[5][1]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Orthodox faith.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  6. ^ a b Latinitatis medii aevi lexicon Bohemorum / Slovník středověké latiny v českých zemích (1977–), Prague: Academia; electronic version, Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences