credit rating

American  

noun

1. a classification of credit risk based on investigation of a customer's or potential customer's financial resources, prior payment pattern, and personal history or degree of personal responsibility for debts incurred.

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credit rating British  

noun

1. an evaluation of the creditworthiness of an individual or business enterprise

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credit rating Cultural  

1. An evaluation of the financial trustworthiness of an individual, firm, or government.

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Etymology

Origin of credit rating

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

The bond, given an ‘A’ rating by Japan Credit Rating Agency, will be offered mainly to individual investors in Japan, SoftBank said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 26, 2025

In September, Credit Rating agency Moody's warned that other councils were likely to go bust due to a combination of poor governance, large borrowing levels and the falling value of commercial property.

From BBC • Jan. 16, 2024

Chen Dongming, chief credit officer at China Lianhe Credit Rating, which has global rating agency Fitch as a shareholder, said Chaori was not a harbinger of larger defaults that posed a systemic risk.

From Reuters • Apr. 2, 2014

Sony Kapoor of the Re-Define thinktank also argues that Britain shouldn't worry about losing its AAA credit rating: Frankly the fuss about #UK Credit Rating is overdone.

From The Guardian • Dec. 5, 2012

Chalco has the top AAA local-currency issuer rating from China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

From BusinessWeek • Jan. 12, 2011