[creed] n [ME crede, fr. OE creda, fr. L credo (first word of the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds), fr. credere to believe, trust, entrust; akin to OIr cretid he believes, Skt srad-dadhati] (bef. 12c) 1: a brief authoritative formula of religious belief
2: a set of fundamental beliefs; also: a guiding principle -- creed.al or cre.dal adj