(often initial capital letter) the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed.
(often initial capital letter) a musical setting of the creed, usually of the Nicene Creed.
any creed or formula of belief.
the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed
a musical setting of the Creed
1150–1200; Middle English < Latin: literally, I believe; first word of the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds in Latin
Credo is Latin for, literally, "I believe," and originally meant a particular religious belief. Now it has the far broader meaning of any system of principles that guide a person or group. There's often a faintly jokey air to the word as used today, perhaps in recognition that it once popularly held such a high-minded meaning. A hedonist's credo might be simply "party on," or "enjoy the ride;" an actor's "the show must go on." Politicians have credos, and so too, presumably, do rappers and weather forecasters.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The cover of his book touts his grandfather’s credo of God first and family second.
From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026
Treating people based on their merits rather than their status or sensibilities is the renewed American credo.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 16, 2025
We’re going to contain that so that we can keep the ’90s credo going.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 15, 2025
So the second credo concerns "the temptation to feel chosen, which justifies acting on our base desires."
From Salon • May 26, 2025
His answer seemed like a credo any educator could use.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
