credentials

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 →
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 →
3. (computing) Your username and password used to log in: «Never share your login credentials». tree →

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 →
• The police officer showed her credentials before coming in. tree →
• The new coach has great credentials: he played for England. tree →
• The company boasts about its green credentials. tree →
• Check the author's credentials before you trust a website. tree →
• Reporters wear their press credentials around their necks. tree →
• A scam email may ask for your credentials, so don't reply. tree →

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.