| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
| |
| credence |
| |
| SYLLABICATION: | cre·dence |
| PRONUNCIATION: |  kr d ns |
| NOUN: | 1. Acceptance as true or valid; belief. See synonyms at belief. 2. Claim to acceptance; trustworthiness. 3. Recommendation; credentials: a letter of credence. 4. A small table or shelf for holding the bread, wine, and vessels of the Eucharist when they are not in use at the altar. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin crdentia, from Latin crdns, crdent-, present participle of crdere, to believe. See kerd- in Appendix I.
| | |
| |
| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
|
|
