English

Etymology

For verb: < Latin creditus, pp. of credere (“‘to believe, trust, confide’”)

For noun: < French crédit < Latin creditum (“‘a loan, credit’”), neut. of creditus, pp. of credere (“‘to believe’”); the other noun senses are directly from the verb.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /kɹɛdɪt/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
• Rhymes: -ɛdɪt

Verb

to credit (third-person singular simple present credits, present participle crediting, simple past and past participle credited)

1. (transitive) To believe.

   Someone said there had been over 100,000 people there, but I can't credit that.

2. (transitive, accounting) To add to an account (confer debit.)

   Credit accounts receivable with the amount of the invoice.

   For the payroll period credit employees' tips to their wages paid account and debit their minimum wage payable account.

   The full amount of the purchase has been credited to your account.

3. (transitive) To acknowledge a contribution.

   I credit the town council with restoring the shopping district.

   Credit the point guard with another assist.

Related terms

• credible
• credibility
• creditable
• creditor
• credence
• credential
• credo
• creed

Translations

Noun

credit (countable and uncountable; plural credits)

1. (uncountable): Recognition and respect.

   I give you credit for owning up to your mistake.

2. (uncountable, law) A privilege of delayed payment extended to a buyer or borrower on the seller's or lender's belief that what is given will be repaid.
3. (uncountable, business) The provision of resources (such as goods, services, or money) by one party (the creditor) to another party (the debtor) where that second party does not immediately pay the first party for the resources in full, and instead either arranges to pay for or to return those resources or equivalent value at a later date

   In view of your payment record, we are happy to extend further credit to you.

4. (uncountable, US) A person's credit rating or creditworthiness, as represented by their history of borrowing and repayment (or non payment).

   What do you mean my credit is no good?

5. (accounting) An addition to certain accounts.
6. (tax accounting) A reduction in taxes owed, or a refund for excess taxes paid.

   Didn't you know that the IRS will refund any excess payroll taxes that you paid if you use the 45(B) general business credit?

7. A valuable member.

   That engineer is a credit to the team.

8. An arbitrary unit of value, used in many token economies.

   To repair your star cruiser will cost 100,000 credits.

   Would you like to play? I put in a dollar and I've got two credits left.

Derived terms

Related terms

• credible

Translations

External links

• “credit” in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• "credit" at The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911.