credit English · revision 3240

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1542|origins=la crēdere}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈkred.ɪt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|frm|crédit|t=belief, trust; reputation; commercial credit]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[roa-oit|credito]],^(AHD 2000)^(MWU 2024) from [[la|crēditum|t=a loan, thing entrusted to another]], the neuter past participle of [[m|la|crēdere|t=to trust, entrust, believe]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Barnhart 1988) Latin crēdere is cognate with Old Irish cretim “I believe” and Sanskrit śraddhā “faith”, from [[ine-pro|*ḱred-dhē-|t=to put trust in]].^(Barnhart 1988) The verb is partly from the noun and partly from Latin crēditus.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) It is related to [[creed]], [[credence]] and [[credible]].^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ “Belief, faith”: 1542,^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) the 1540s;^(Etymonline) Merriam-Webster gives 1529 for the sense “credit in commerce”.^(MWU 2024) The verb, “to trust someone with goods or money”, is from 1541.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The commercial sense, a seller's confidence that a buyer will pay later, developed by the 1570s from the idea of a shopkeeper's trust,^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) though [[creditor]] is earlier, about 1435.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) A sum placed at a person's disposal by a bank is from the 1660s.^(Etymonline) Good reputation is from 1576,^(OED 1989) something that brings honour from the 1580s,^(Etymonline) and honour or acknowledgement of merit from about 1600.^(Etymonline) The verb “to believe” is from the 1540s, “to enter on the credit side of an account” from the 1680s, and “to attribute” from 1850.^(Etymonline) An academic credit, for completing a course, is by 1904, short for ''hour of credit'' (1892).^(Etymonline) The ''credits'' of a film, naming the people who made it, are by 1914.^(Etymonline) ''Credit union'' is American English from 1881, and ''credit rating'' from 1958.^(Etymonline) ''Give credit where credit is due'' is from the early 19th century.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1541 – verb, to trust with goods on credit.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1542 – belief, faith.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1570s – commercial credit.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1576 – good reputation.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1600 – acknowledgement of merit.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1660s – a sum at one's disposal.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1680s – verb, to enter as a credit.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1881 – ''credit union''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1904 – an academic credit.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1914 – film credits.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An arrangement to receive goods or money and pay later: ''buy on credit''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Money in an account, or an entry recording a payment received.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Praise or recognition for an achievement: ''take the credit''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A source of honour: ''a credit to the team''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Belief or [[trust]]: ''give credit to a rumour''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # A unit of study counted towards a qualification.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(plural)'' The list of people who worked on a film or programme.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To believe.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To attribute something to someone: ''credited with the discovery''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To add money to an account.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[creditless]]

+ * [[discredit]]

+ * [[precredit]]

+ * [[creditable]]

+ * [[creditworthy]]

+ * [[noncredit]]

+ * [[credit manager]]

+ * [[consumer credit]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[credible]]

+ * [[credibility]]

+ * [[creditor]]

+ * [[credence]]

+ * [[credential]]

+ * [[credo]]

+ * [[creed]]

+ * [[credulous]]

+ * [[incredible]]

+ * [[miscreant]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In Scots and Yorkshire dialect ''credit'' meant “approval, good repute”.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}