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credit

n. · v.
US //ˈkɹɛdət// UK //kɹˈɛdɪt// cred·it
  1. 1 buy now, pay later (n.)
    A2 Elementary Finance

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

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

    Example

    I didn't have enough cash for the sofa, so I bought it on credit.

    Example

    The retailer offered interest-free credit for the first twelve months to encourage customers to upgrade their home appliances.
  2. 2 praise or recognition (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    praise or respect given to someone for doing something.

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

    Example

    She did all the work, but her manager took all the credit.

    Example

    The lead scientist was careful to give credit to the junior researchers whose data collection had been vital to the breakthrough.
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  1. 3 academic unit (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

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

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

    Example

    You need forty more credits to graduate from this university.

    Example

    Students may transfer credits earned during their semester abroad, provided the curriculum aligns with the university's core requirements.
  2. 4 film/TV titles (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Theatre

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

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

    Example

    We stayed until the end of the credits to see the name of the song.

    Example

    The opening credits were stylised to match the film's noir aesthetic, featuring high-contrast typography and moody music.
  3. 5 money in an account (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Accounting

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

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

    Example

    I have a ten-pound credit on my phone account.

    Example

    The accounting department issued a credit to the client's account after the overpayment was identified during the monthly audit.
  4. 6 to attribute to (v.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    to say that someone is responsible for something good.

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

    Example

    The architect is credited with designing some of the city's most famous buildings.

    Example

    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.
  5. 7 to believe (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Formal Literary

    to believe that something is true.

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

    Example

    It was hard to credit his story after he had lied so many times before.

    Example

    The witness's account was so fantastical that the jury found it impossible to credit, despite his earnest delivery being seemingly sincere.
Origin

Borrowed from Middle French crédit (“belief, trust”), from Latin crēditum (“a loan, credit”), neuter of crēditus, past participle of crēdere (“to believe”). The verb is from the noun. Doublet of shraddha, creed.

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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