What does "credential" mean?

documentary or electronic evidence that a person has certain status or privileges

What is a synonym for "credential"?

Common synonyms include: certificate, advocacy, advocating, advocation, affidavit, attestation.

Pronounced //kɹɪˈdɛnʃəl//.

//kɹɪˈdɛnʃəl// adj, noun, verb, slang

adj, noun, verb, slang ·Moderate ·High school level

Noun

1
documentary or electronic evidence that a person has certain status or privileges in-plural
"May I see your credentials, please?"
2
a document attesting to the truth of certain stated facts wordnet
3
Evidence of skill or excellence. informal
"They deserved their half-time lead and looked fully in control until Brazil made changes at the break and began to show their credentials in attack."

Verb

1
to furnish with credentials
"School superintendents, principals, and teachers are currently credentialed only by the state."

Adjective

1
Pertaining to or serving as an introduction or recommendation (to someone).
"their credential letters on both sides"

"Earning a post-secondary degree or credential is a prerequisite for 21st century jobs, and one that everyone should be able to afford."

From Medieval Latin crēdentiālis (“giving authority”), from Latin crēdentia (“trust”).

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.