cred-, credit-, creed-

1. A situation in which the public distrusts the accuracy of official statements: There is a credibility gap between what the mayor is claiming and what the citizens of the city see is going on.
2. An apparent difference between what is claimed to be true and what is in fact real: Despite what the leaders of the country say about the economic conditions being much better, there are obvious credibility gaps when so many people are losing their jobs and wages are being diminished for some of those who are still working.

Although the following cartoon has a meaning for credibility, it is actually an illustration of a credibility gap, and so the information in this entry is providing the right definitions for this image!

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1. Capable of being believed: At first, Jeremy seemed to be telling a credible story.
2. Worthy of belief or confidence; reasonable to trust: Someone is credible when he or she can be easily trusted.

The officials say that they have credible information about where the lost group of hikers may be located.

A quality or fact that is believable and trustworthy: "The credibleness of the completion date of the city hall as stated by the architect appears to be reasonable."

Pertaining to easily believing something based on available evidence: The police have not produced any credibly acceptable evidence that the accused suspect was guilty of the crime.

1. A monetary amount that a business, a bank, or other financial company will allow someone to use and then to pay back in the future: Martin was given enough credit to pay for his new car.
2. A record of how well a person has paid his or her bills in the past: Before loaning Lorna money for her business, the bank checked to see if she had sufficient credit.

Usually people need to have a strong credit and a good job before they can arrange for a mortgage to buy a house.

3. Praise or special recognition that is given to a person for doing something or for making something happen: The credit for the success of the drama was given to the director and his actors, all of whom were published in the local newspaper.
4. An entry in the records of students certifying that they have successfully completed courses of study: Mark and Matt were brothers who received credits for their biological research during the semester.

1. To add money to an amount that already exists: "Mary's bank credited her account with the amount of her new deposit."
2. Providing honor or recognition of a person for having achieved something: "The football players credit their coach for helping them become the champions of the season."
3. To think of someone as having a special quality or effect: "Shirley is credited as being the first woman to climb to the top of the very high mountain in such a short time."

The quality of something that is worthy of limited praise: The student's efforts with the test, although not outstanding, still had some creditability.

1. Worthy of being believed: The lawyer thought Jaime presented a creditable testimony at the trial.
2. Good enough to be praised but not necessarily outstanding or successful: Jerome thought the actors made a creditable performance that evening. © ALL rights are reserved.

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1. A reference to how a person has financial trust: The creditably reliable report from the bank made it possible for Florence to borrow and to pay for her vocational training so she could get a better job.
2. Pertaining to how an individual acts in a morally reputable manner; respectably: Tom was brought up by his parents to behave in a creditably proper way when in the company of grown-ups.

A person or an organization that is owed money by someone else or a company: Todd was making monthly payments to a financial company who was the creditor of the money that he borrowed.

1. The Apostles' Creed or Nicene Creed, both of which are ancient statements of the basic doctrines of Christianity.
2. The first word of the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds, in Latin; hence in early times a common name for either of these creeds; now used chiefly for local or historical coloring, or as the name of a musical setting of the Nicene Creed.

A statement of principles or beliefs, especially one that is professed formally.

A tendency or willingness to believe that something is true or real even when there is no sufficient evidence to support the idea: Mike's credulity to believe all the advertisements on the radio never ceased to amaze his parents. © ALL rights are reserved.

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A reference to believing something too easily: When Susan received an e-mail stating that she had won an award of $10,000, she had a credulous feeling that it was true and so she revealed private data in order to collect the funds; all of which resulted her losing money when the sender used the information to withdraw cash from her account. © ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
for a list of additional Mickey Bach illustrations.

A reference to being disposed to believe too readily; easily gullible.