[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/credentials/)

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# credentials

noun (plural: credentials; rarely singular: a credential)

«credentials» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Qualifications, training and experience that show someone is suitable or trustworthy for a job or role: «Her credentials as a doctor are excellent». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/credentials/#m1)
2. Documents that prove who you are or what you are allowed to do, like an ID badge or press pass: «The guard checked his credentials». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/credentials/#m2)
3. (computing) Your username and password used to log in: «Never share your login credentials». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/credentials/#m3)

### In the lessons

In online-safety lessons, credentials are your username and password; you must never give them to anyone, and real companies never ask for them by email or message (that is a scam called «phishing»). In everyday life and news, people «show their credentials» to prove they are real officials, and we check the credentials of experts before trusting them. Phrases: «login credentials», «check credentials», «impressive credentials», «green credentials» (how environmentally friendly something is).

### Examples

- Never share your login credentials with anyone online. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/credentials/#x1)
- The police officer showed her credentials before coming in. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/credentials/#x2)
- The new coach has great credentials: he played for England. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/credentials/#x3)
- The company boasts about its green credentials. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/credentials/#x4)
- Check the author's credentials before you trust a website. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/credentials/#x5)
- Reporters wear their press credentials around their necks. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/credentials/#x6)
- A scam email may ask for your credentials, so don't reply. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/credentials/#x7)

### Note

Almost always plural: credentials. Related to «credible» (believable) and «credit», from Latin «credere», to believe. In computing, credentials can also be keys or tokens, not only passwords. A strong password plus two-step verification keeps credentials safe.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «credentials» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/credentials/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«credentials» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/credentials.html) on Mova free.