What does "creed" mean?

1. (religious belief) a formal statement of religious faith or the shared beliefs of a church. 2. (guiding principles) a set of personal or political beliefs that guide how you act.

How do you use "creed"?

Often used with the definite article when referring to a specific historical document.

creed

US //ˈkɹid// UK //kɹˈiːd// creed

1 religious belief (n.)
C1 Advanced Formal Religion

a formal statement of religious faith or the shared beliefs of a church.

a formal, authoritative statement of religious doctrine or a confession of faith intended for public use.

Example

The Nicene Creed is a famous statement of faith used in many Christian churches.

Example

The theologian argued that the ancient creed provided a necessary framework for maintaining doctrinal unity across the diverse congregations.

Usage

Often used with the definite article when referring to a specific historical document.
2 guiding principles (n.)
C1 Advanced Formal

a set of personal or political beliefs that guide how you act.

a system of principles or opinions that governs an individual's or group's conduct and philosophy.

Example

The company's creed focuses on honesty and helping the local community.

Example

He lived by a strict personal creed that valued intellectual integrity above professional advancement or social popularity.

Teacher's tip

In modern contexts, this is frequently used in professional or political settings to describe a 'mission statement' or core values.

Origin

From Middle English crede, from Old English crēda, crēdo, from Latin crēdō (“I believe”), from Proto-Italic krezdō, from Proto-Indo-European ḱred dʰeh₁- (“to place one's heart, i.e., to trust, believe”), a compound phrase of the oblique case form of *ḱḗr (“heart”). Creed is cognate with Old Irish creitid (“to believe”), Sanskrit श्रद्दधाति (śráddadhāti, “to have faith or faithfulness, to have belief or confidence, believe”).