Usually, credentials.evidence of authority, status, rights, entitlement to privileges, or the like, usually in written form: Only those with the proper credentials are admitted.
2.
anything that provides the basis for confidence, belief, credit, etc.
–verb (used with object)
3.
to grant credentials to, esp. educational and professional ones: She has been credentialed to teach math.
–adjective
4.
providing the basis for confidence, belief, credit, etc.
Origin: 1425–75; late ME credencial < ML crēdenti(a) credence+ -al1
That which entitles one to confidence, credit, or authority.
credentials Evidence or testimonials concerning one's right to credit, confidence, or authority: The new ambassador presented her credentials to the president.
tr.v.
cre·den·tialed, cre·den·tial·ing, cre·den·tialsUsage Problem To supply with credentials: "trained, professional, credentialed child care"(Lee Salk).
[From Medieval Latin crēdentiālis, giving authority, from crēdentia, trust; see credence.]
Usage Note: The use of the participle credentialed to refer to certified teachers and other professionals is well established (She became credentialed through a graduate program at a local college), but its more general use to mean "possessing professional or expert credentials" is still widely considered jargon. The sentence The board heard testimony from a number of credentialed witnesses was unacceptable to 85 percent of the Usage Panel.
[kri-den-shuh
l] 