Creed Is Latin for I Believe
A creed is a statement of belief. The word is simply the first word of the Latin text it names.
A creed is a formal statement of religious belief, or by extension any set of guiding principles. The word is the Latin verb *credo*, meaning "I believe" — the opening word of the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds. Naming a text after its first word is an old habit that also gave us the *Magnificat*, the *Paternoster* and the *Requiem*. The same root produced *credit*, *credible* and *incredible*, all resting on the idea of trust.
- A statement of belief. *The Nicene Creed.*
- Guiding principles. *His personal creed.*
- Credo — the Latin original. *The Credo.*
- Credible — believable. *A credible account.*
- Credit — from the same root. *On credit.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | creed | A simple creed. |
| Plural | creeds | Different creeds. |
| Latin | credo | I believe. |
| Adjective | credible | Credible evidence. |
| Noun | credence | Give credence. |
- The congregation recited the creed.Worship.
- Fairness was his whole creed.Principles.
- Regardless of race or creed.Fixed legal phrase.
Texts named after their first word
- Creed — *credo*, I believe
- Magnificat — magnifies, from Mary's song
- Paternoster — our father, the Lord's Prayer
- Requiem — rest, from the Mass for the dead
- Te Deum — you, God, a hymn of praise
Old English *creda*, from Latin *credo*, I believe, the first word of the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds, from a root meaning to put trust in.
What does race or creed mean?
A fixed legal phrase meaning regardless of ethnicity or religious belief. Creed there means any system of belief.
Are creed and credit related?
Yes. Both come from Latin credere, to believe or trust. Credit is trust extended in money.