credit

Where does the word "credit" come from? It comes from Latin creditum, and was adopted directly into English (1540s).

Credit’s story begins in Latin: creditum meant “a thing entrusted, believed.” A thing entrusted, from credere (to believe, to trust). It reached English by 1540s as credit. Settled as the English word for trust extended in a financial exchange. Today, credit means the ability to obtain goods or money based on trust of future repayment.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient creditum "a thing entrusted, believed", a thing entrusted, from credere (to believe, to trust).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1540s credit "trust extended for future payment", settled as the English word for trust extended in a financial exchange.