letter of credence

English

Etymology

Calque of French lettre de créance.

Noun

letter of credence (plural letters of credence)

1. (diplomacy) Formal diplomatic letter that appoints a diplomat as ambassador to another sovereign state.

   Synonym: letters credential

Usage notes

• The plural letters of credence is sometimes used as a synonym of the singular.

Translations

Translations

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 國書／国书 (zh) (guóshū)

• Dutch: geloofsbrief (nl) m
• Finnish: valtuuskirje
• French: lettre de créance (fr) f
• Italian: lettera credenziale f
• Japanese: 信任状 (shinninjō)
• Polish: listy uwierzytelniające m pl
• Portuguese: carta credencial f
• Russian: вери́тельная гра́мота (ru) f (verítelʹnaja grámota)
• Spanish: carta credencial f

See also

• letter of credit
• letter of recommendation

Further reading

• “letter of credence”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “letter of credence”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “letters of credence”, in Collins English Dictionary.