credit
credit
Pronunciation
credit
/ˈkrɛdɪt/
cred-: /krɛd/
it: /ɪt/
Word Form Variations
Noun:
Singular: credit
Plural: credits
Verb:
Base form: credit
Third-person singular present: credits
Present participle: crediting
Past tense: credited
Past participle: credited
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A system of purchasing goods or services with an agreement to pay for them later.
Synonyms: charge, deferred payment, installment plan, tab (informal)
Antonyms: cash, immediate payment, debit
Recognition or acknowledgment for a positive achievement or quality.
Synonyms: praise, commendation, honor, kudos, recognition, merit, acclaim
Antonyms: blame, discredit, censure, criticism, fault
An amount of money available to a person or organization, often in a bank account or as a loan limit.
Synonyms: funds, capital, balance, allowance, limit
Antonyms: debt, deficit, liability, arrears
Verb
To attribute something to a person or source.
Synonyms: ascribe, attribute, assign, impute, chalk up to
Antonyms: discredit, deny, disclaim
To believe or trust in the truth or validity of something.
Synonyms: believe, trust, accept, rely on, have faith in
Antonyms: doubt, disbelieve, distrust, question
To add an amount of money to an account.
Synonyms: deposit, add, transfer (in), put in
Antonyms: debit, deduct, withdraw, subtract
Examples of Use
Books:
"He spent years building up his credit with the bank, ensuring he could secure a loan for his dream home." (Implied example, as specific book quotes can be difficult to verify without direct access to text and context)
"The author gave credit to her editor for refining the manuscript." (Implied example)
Newspapers:
"The new economic policy aims to expand access to affordable credit for small businesses." (Based on common newspaper reporting on economic policy, e.g., The Wall Street Journal)
"Police are urging the public not to give any credit to the unsubstantiated rumors circulating online." (The Guardian)
"Much of the credit for the team's surprising success goes to the new coaching staff." (New York Times)
Online Publications:
"How to check your credit score for free and improve your financial health." (Article headline from a personal finance website like Investopedia or NerdWallet)
"Tech giant announces new initiative to offer cloud credits to startups." (Report on a tech news site like TechCrunch or The Verge)
"The photographer shared the image, ensuring to give credit to the original artist in the caption." (Common practice on social media and photography blogs)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film/Television: "Stay tuned after the show for the full cast and crew credits." (Common closing remark on TV programs and films)
Video Games: "You've earned 500 credits for completing the mission. Use them in the in-game store!" (Frequent mechanic in many video games, e.g., Fortnite, continuously)
Music: "Songwriters often fight for proper credit and royalties when their work is sampled." (Discussed in music industry news and documentaries, e.g., Rolling Stone articles, various dates)
Streaming Services: "Netflix allows users to skip intro sequences and jump directly to the show, or view the full credits." (Feature on Netflix platform)
General Public Discourse:
"I can't believe he took all the credit for our group project!" (Common conversational complaint)
"You have to give her credit; she handled that difficult situation with grace." (Everyday expression of admiration)
"My credit card was declined, so I had to pay with cash." (Common personal experience)
"The bank approved my loan, so my credit must be good." (Everyday financial discussion)
10 Quotes Using Credit
"It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit." (Harry S. Truman)
"There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less competition there." (Indira Gandhi)
"Procrastination is like a credit card: it's a lot of fun until you get the bill." (Christopher Parker)
"A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit." (Arnold H. Glasow)
"No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself or get all the credit for doing it." (Andrew Carnegie)
"The most important thing for a young man is to establish a credit... a reputation, character." (John D. Rockefeller)
"Soldiers generally win battles; generals get credit for them." (Napoleon Bonaparte)
"When women love us, they forgive us everything, even our crimes; when they do not love us, they give us credit for nothing, not even our virtues." (Honoré de Balzac)
"All the perplexities, confusion and distress in America arise, not from defects in their Constitution or Confederation, not from want of honor or virtue, so much as from the downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit and circulation." (John Adams)1
"Creditors have better memories than debtors." (Benjamin Franklin)
Etymology
The word "credit" comes from the Latin word "credere," which means "to believe" or "to trust."
Its journey into English started with the Old French word "credit" around the 15th century.
When it first appeared in English, the primary meaning of "credit" was related to belief or trust. For example, if you "gave credit" to someone, it meant you believed what they were saying, or you had trust in their character. This is why we still use phrases like "to give credit where credit is due" – meaning to acknowledge someone's trustworthiness or contribution.
Over time, this idea of "trust" or "belief" evolved into the financial sense we commonly use today. If a bank "credits" you money, they are essentially trusting you to pay it back. Similarly, when you buy something on "credit," the seller trusts that you will fulfill your promise to pay later.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Credit
Credit where credit is due: To acknowledge someone's contribution or success.
Give credit to: To acknowledge or praise someone for something.
Take credit for: To claim responsibility or praise for something, often when it's not entirely deserved.
On credit: To purchase something with the promise of paying for it later.
Credit crunch: A severe shortage of money or loans available from banks.
Credit limit: The maximum amount of money a person or company can borrow.
Credit rating/score: An assessment of a person or company's ability to pay back debts.
Have to your credit: To have achieved or possess something positive.
Beyond belief/credit: Something so incredible that it's hard to believe.
Do credit to: To bring praise or honor to someone or something.
Gain credit: To earn respect, praise, or recognition.
Lose credit: To lose respect, trust, or standing.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of credit from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
