1610s, "vouch for, bring into credit," from French accréditer, earlier acrediter, from à "to" (see ad-) + créditer "to credit" (someone with a sum), from crédit "credit" (see credit (n.)). Falsely Latinized in French. The word was rare in English in the original sense but became common in the meaning "confer credit or authority on" (1794). Related: Accredited; accrediting.