credence

Where does the word "credence" come from? It comes from Latin credere, passing through Medieval Latin before entering English (1300s).

Credence’s story begins in Latin: credere meant “to believe, to trust.” The root of 'credit', 'creed' and 'incredible'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Medieval Latin as credentia. Belief, trust, from credere. It reached English by 1300s as credence. Settled as the English word for belief in the truth of something. Today, credence means acceptance that something is true or believable.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient credere "to believe, to trust", the root of 'credit', 'creed' and 'incredible'.
2. Stage 2 · Medieval Latin · medieval credentia "belief, trust", belief, trust, from credere.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s credence "belief in the truth of something", settled as the English word for belief in the truth of something.