credentials

Where does the word "credentials" come from? It comes from Latin credere, passing through Medieval Latin before entering English (1600s).

Credentials’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 1600s as credentials. Settled as the English word for documents proving one's qualifications or identity. Today, credentials means documents or qualifications proving a person's identity or ability.

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 · 1600s credentials "documents proving one's qualifications or identity", settled as the English word for documents proving one's qualifications or identity.