# credentials

/kɹəˈdɛnʃəɫz/ (US) · /kɹɪdˈɛnʃəlz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/credentials
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. qualifications

noun · CEFR B2

documents or experiences that prove you have the skills or right to do a job.

For teachers: documents or certificates proving a person's identity or qualifications, often used to establish professional or academic authority.

- The new manager has impressive credentials from some of the best companies in the world.
- Before hiring the consultant, the board spent several days verifying her academic credentials and reviewing her previous project successes.

Usage: Usually plural; rarely used in the singular form in general contexts.

### 2. login information

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

the username and password you use to enter a website or computer system.

For teachers: the set of information, such as a username and password, used to verify a user's identity for digital access.

- Please do not share your login credentials with anyone else for security reasons.
- The system administrator reset all user credentials after the security breach was detected on the main server.

Usage: In technical contexts, this refers specifically to the pair of identifiers required for authentication.

### 3. official documents

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

official papers that give someone, like an ambassador, the power to represent their country.

For teachers: formal documents, such as letters of credence, that authorize a person to act as a representative or ambassador.

- The ambassador presented his credentials to the president during a formal ceremony.
- The diplomatic envoy was unable to begin negotiations until his credentials had been formally accepted by the host government.

## Examples

- Please enter your credentials to log in to the server.
- The system administrator reminded everyone to update their credentials regularly to prevent unauthorized access to the database.
- While his academic credentials were unimpeachable, the hiring committee was more concerned with his lack of practical experience in high-security network environments.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.