# credit

/ˈkɹɛdət/ (US) · /kɹˈɛdɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/credit
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. buy now, pay later

noun · CEFR A2

an arrangement where you buy something now and pay for it later.

For teachers: the provision of goods or services without immediate payment based on the trust that payment will be forthcoming.

- I didn't have enough cash for the sofa, so I bought it on credit.
- The retailer offered interest-free credit for the first twelve months to encourage customers to upgrade their home appliances.

### 2. praise or recognition

noun · CEFR B1

praise or respect given to someone for doing something.

For teachers: public acknowledgment or praise given for an achievement, quality, or specific contribution.

- She did all the work, but her manager took all the credit.
- The lead scientist was careful to give credit to the junior researchers whose data collection had been vital to the breakthrough.

### 3. academic unit

noun · CEFR B1

a unit that shows you have completed a part of a college or university course.

For teachers: a unit of study used to measure the progress of a student toward a degree or diploma.

- You need forty more credits to graduate from this university.
- Students may transfer credits earned during their semester abroad, provided the curriculum aligns with the university's core requirements.

### 4. film/TV titles

noun · CEFR B1

the list of names of people who worked on a movie or TV show.

For teachers: a list of the people who helped to make a film, play, or television programme, usually shown at the end.

- We stayed until the end of the credits to see the name of the song.
- The opening credits were stylised to match the film's noir aesthetic, featuring high-contrast typography and moody music.

### 5. money in an account

noun · CEFR B2

money that is added to a bank account or a balance you can spend.

For teachers: an entry in an account showing a sum received; the positive balance available in a financial system.

- I have a ten-pound credit on my phone account.
- The accounting department issued a credit to the client's account after the overpayment was identified during the monthly audit.

### 7. to attribute to

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to say that someone is responsible for something good.

For teachers: to attribute an achievement or a quality to someone. Often used in the passive voice with 'with'.

- The architect is credited with designing some of the city's most famous buildings.
- The administration is widely credited with having stabilised the economy during the initial stages of the fiscal crisis.

Usage: Often used as 'be credited with' followed by a noun or gerund.

### 8. to believe

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Literary

to believe that something is true.

For teachers: to accept as true; to give credence to a statement or story.

- It was hard to credit his story after he had lied so many times before.
- The witness's account was so fantastical that the jury found it impossible to credit, despite his earnest delivery being seemingly sincere.

## Examples

- I bought the new sofa on credit.
- The bank refused to extend her any more credit until she paid off her existing balance from last year.
- While the student had earned enough credits to graduate, the university withheld his diploma until he settled the outstanding balance on his tuition account.

---

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.