credential
UK: /krɪˈden.ʃəl/ | US: /krəˈden.ʃəl/
n. a document or qualification proving a person’s identity or authority
n. (computing) a piece of information used to verify identity in a system
vt. to provide with credentials or authorization
credential = cred<believe> + ent<adjective suffix> + ial<noun suffix>
- cred (from Latin credere, "to believe") → foundational root for trust or belief.
- ent (Latin -entem, adjective-forming suffix) → denotes a state or quality.
- ial (Latin -ialis, noun-forming suffix) → converts adjectives into nouns.
Etymology Origin:
The word "credential" originates from Medieval Latin credentialis, meaning "pertaining to belief or trust." It evolved through Old French credentiel before entering English in the 15th century. The morpheme cred reflects its core logic of verification (belief in authenticity), while ent and ial transform it into a noun denoting proof of trustworthiness. Historically, credentials were letters of introduction, now extended to digital authentication.
She presented her academic credentials during the job interview.
The system requires valid login credentials to access the database.
The embassy will credential the new ambassador next week.
His credentials as a researcher are widely recognized in the field.
Always verify the credentials of unknown websites before entering personal data.