creed
Americannoun
-
any system, doctrine, or formula of religious belief, as of a denomination.
- Synonyms:
- dogma, credo, conviction, faith
-
any system or codification of belief or of opinion.
- Synonyms:
- dogma, credo, conviction, faith
-
an authoritative, formulated statement of the chief articles of Christian belief, as the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, or the Athanasian Creed.
-
the creed. Apostles' Creed.
noun
-
a concise, formal statement of the essential articles of Christian belief, such as the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed
-
any statement or system of beliefs or principles
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
creedlessnessnoun
-
precreednoun
-
credaladjective
-
creedaladjective
-
creededadjective
-
creedlessadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of creed
First recorded before 1000; Middle English crede, Old English crēda, from Latin crēdō “I believe”; see credo
Explanation
Without reading the long document about the group's beliefs — its creed — he knew he didn't fit in, because he just couldn't bow to the 12-foot statue of a rabbit, no matter what it symbolized. A creed can be a formal doctrine, or system of beliefs, for a church or religious group, or it can be a philosophy, or personal set of beliefs. The origins of the word are in the Latin crēdō, "I believe," once specific to the Christian faith, but by the 17th century it was used for many different faiths. Companies, societies, and disciplines might also adopt a creed — as in a political creed, a national creed, or a management creed — that lays out a particular belief-system or way of doing things.
Vocabulary lists containing creed
Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Speech (1963)
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Believe It or Not: Cred
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from all 4 Acts
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Flight have won multiple awards for games like Alien: Isolation, Assassin's Creed and the Horizon series.
From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026
One of The Flight's previous assignments was to soundtrack Assassin's Creed Shadows, set in the Sengoku period of Japanese history.
From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026
Here enters Apollo Creed, heavyweight champion of the world, a brilliant showman inspired by Muhammad Ali.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
One upcoming bright spot is the July 9 release of "Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced" -- a remake of one of its flagship franchises' best-loved instalments.
From Barron's • May 20, 2026
But when Mom is talking with Mr. Creed, and the school nurse happens to pass by—"Mrs. Phillips, isn't it? And how's that Bobby? He has the flu, right?"—it doesn't feel like a coincidence.
From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements
![]()
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.