credence
credence
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "credence" is:
ˈkriːdəns
Here's a breakdown of the sounds in each syllable:
cre (ˈkriː)
kɹ - voiceless uvular plosive (similar to "k" but further back in the throat)
iː - long close front unrounded vowel (like "ee" in "feet")
dence (dəns)
d - voiced alveolar plosive (like "d" in "dog")
ə - schwa (a mid central vowel sound, like the neutral vowel sound in "but")
n - alveolar nasal (like "n" in "sip")
s - voiceless alveolar fricative (like "s" in "sip")
Word Form Variations
The word "credence" has very few variations.
Singular: credence (the most common form)
Plural: credences (used less frequently, mainly in historical contexts referring to specific pieces of furniture)
There are no verb forms or adjectives directly derived from "credence."
However, some related words you might encounter include:
Credential: (noun) something that demonstrates your qualifications or skills.
Credenza: (noun) a type of sideboard or buffet furniture (completely unrelated to the meaning of belief).
Credulous: (adjective) easily swayed to believe something, especially something untrue.
Incredibility: (noun) the state of being unbelievable.
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Definitions, Synonyms, Antonyms
Noun:
Definition 1: Belief or acceptance of something as true, especially based on evidence or testimony.
Synonyms: trust, faith, confidence, belief, credit
Antonyms: scepticism, doubt, disbelief, mistrust
Definition 2: Something that supports belief in something else, lending it credibility.
Synonyms: validation, verification, substantiation, confirmation
Antonyms: invalidation, contradiction, debunking
Examples of Use
Here are some examples of how "credence" is used in various contexts:
1. Belief Based on Evidence:
Book: "The witness's testimony lent credence to the suspect's alibi." (Agatha Christie, And Then There Were None)
Newspaper: "The new study on climate change adds further credence to the urgency of taking action." (The New York Times)
Online Publication: "The viral video claiming the existence of a hidden city has yet to gain any credence from experts." (National Geographic website)
2. Lending Credibility:
Movie: In the movie "The Godfather," Vito Corleone's offer of protection gains credence due to his reputation as a powerful mob boss.
TV Show: On a science show, a researcher might present data to "give credence" to their hypothesis about a new discovery.
Public Discourse: "The politician's past record casts doubt on the credence of their promises for reform." (Public debate)
3. Historical Context (Plural):
"The elaborate credences in the royal court displayed the wealth and power of the monarchy." (Historical documentary) [Note: Here, "credences" refers to specific pieces of furniture, not belief.)
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10 Famous Quotes Using the term Credence
Unfortunately, the word "credence" isn't as commonly used in famous quotes as some other words. Here are a few quotes that do utilise "credence" and a couple that express similar ideas using different words:
"The path of sound credence is through the thick forest of scepticism." – Voltaire (French philosopher)
"I have always been amazed at the way an ordinary observer lends so much more credence and attaches so much more importance to waking events than to those occurring in dreams..." – Vladimir Nabokov (Russian-American novelist)
"Think for yourselves and question authority." – Benjamin Franklin (American polymath) **(This quote expresses the opposite of blindly giving credence to something) **
"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd." – Voltaire (French philosopher) **(Similar to questioning credence) **
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it." – Upton Sinclair (American novelist) **(Similar to questioning the credence of someone's claims) **
"Belief creates the reality that confirms itself." – Thomas Fuller (English clergyman and historian) **(Similar to the power of evidence lending credence to a belief) **
"One small crack does not make a wall collapse. But if you neglect it, and more cracks appear, the whole wall will eventually crumble." – Indira Gandhi (Indian politician) **(Similar to the erosion of credence over time) **
"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." – Carl Sagan (American astronomer) **(Similar to the need for strong evidence to gain credence) **
"A single lie can spoil a thousand truths." – Danish proverb **(Similar to how a lack of truthfulness can destroy credence) **
"The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off." – Gloria Steinem (American feminist) **(Similar to the discomfort that can come from questioning established beliefs) **
Etymology
The word "credence" is like a family tree with two main branches. Both branches come from a root meaning "to believe" in Latin.
The French Branch: The first branch goes through Old French, where "credence" meant "belief" or "faith." This meaning entered English in the mid-1300s.
The Latin Branch: The other branch comes directly from Latin, where "credentia" also meant "belief." This Latin version also snuck into English around the same time.
So, "credence" basically has two parents (Old French and Latin) who both said the same thing: "belief." That's why it means "belief" or "acceptance of something as true" in English today.
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Phrases + Idioms Containing the term Credence
While there aren't any widely used idioms with "credence," here are some common phrases that utilise the word:
Give credence to: This means to accept something as believable or lend it credibility.
Example: "The witness's detailed account gave credence to the alibi."
Lend credence to: Similar to "give credence to," this emphasises how something supports the believability of something else.
Example: "The recent discoveries at the dig site lend credence to the theory of an ancient civilization."
Strain credence: This means something is so unbelievable that it's difficult to accept as true.
Example: "The politician's claims about his accomplishments strain credence."
Beyond credence: Similar to "strain credence," this implies something is so unbelievable it's outside the realm of possibility.
Example: "The conspiracy theory about lizard people running the government is beyond credence."
Find credence in: This means to be believed or accepted as true by someone or a group.
Example: "The rumours about a celebrity breakup only found credence after photos emerged."
Posts Related to Credence
Source Information
Definition of credence from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
