Word
credential
Phoneticscre·den·tial, stress on the second syllable
US/kɹəˈdɛnʃəɫ/
UK/kɹɪdˈɛnʃəl/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a document or piece of information that proves you have a certain skill, job, or right to be in a place. You use this to show you are who you say you are or that you are qualified for a task.
n. a document or piece of information that serves as proof of a person's identity, qualifications, or authority. Often used in the plural to refer to the set of data required for digital access.
Examples
“You need to show your driver's license as a credential.”
“The hiring manager asked for her academic credentials to verify that she had completed the required degree.”
“In the digital age, managing multiple sets of login credentials across various platforms has become a significant security challenge for both individual users and corporate IT departments.”
Examples
simple
“You need to show your driver's license as a credential.”
contextual
“The hiring manager asked for her academic credentials to verify that she had completed the required degree.”
complex
“In the digital age, managing multiple sets of login credentials across various platforms has become a significant security challenge for both individual users and corporate IT departments.”
Real-World Examples
“In technical systems, a credential is data that a system accepts as evidence of identity or authority.” “He even thought he could get people to use the app as a credential, something as respected as a government-issued ID.” Etymology
From Medieval Latin crēdentiālis (“giving authority”), from Latin crēdentia (“trust”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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