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Origin and history of credit

credit(n.)

1540s, "belief, faith," from French crédit (15c.) "belief, trust," from Italian credito, from Latin creditum "a loan, thing entrusted to another," neuter past participle of credere "to trust, entrust, believe" (see credo).

The commercial sense of "confidence in the ability and intention of a purchaser or borrower to make payment at some future time" was in English by 1570s (creditor is mid-15c.); hence "sum placed at a person's disposal" by a bank, etc., 1660s. From 1580s as "one who or that which brings honor or reputation to." Meaning "honor, acknowledgment of merit," is from c. 1600.

Academic sense of "point awarded for completing a course of study" is by 1904 (short for hour of credit (1892), given for satisfactory completion of one lecture, etc., a week, usually one hour in length). Movie/broadcasting sense "acknowledgement and naming of the individual contributors" (in plural, credits) is by 1914.

Credit rating is from 1958; credit union "cooperative banking society" is 1881, American English.

also from 1540s

credit(v.)

1540s, "to believe, be sure of the truth of," from credit (n.). In a looser sense, "to attribute, give as the cause of," 1850. Meaning "to enter upon the credit side of an account" is from 1680s. Related: Credited; crediting.

also from 1540s

Entries linking to credit

creditor(n.)

mid-15c., "one to whom any return is due or payable, one to whom money is owed," from Anglo-French creditour, Old French creditor (early 14c.), from Latin creditor "truster; lender," from creditus, past participle of credere "to believe" (see credo).

credo(n.)

early 13c., "the Creed in the Church service," from Latin credo "I believe," the first word of the Apostles' and Nicene creeds, first person singular present indicative of credere "to believe," from PIE compound *kerd-dhe- "to believe," literally "to put one's heart" (source also of Old Irish cretim, Irish creidim, Welsh credu "I believe," Sanskrit śrad-dhā- "faith, confidence, devotion"), from PIE root *kerd- "heart." The nativized form is creed. General sense of "formula or statement of belief" is from 1580s.