Why is it called a credenza?

Why it is called a credenza relates to historic lore about the furniture. In Italian, credenza is a word for “trust” or “belief.” During the 16th century, food and drink was often tested by a servant for a prominent person to see if it contained poison. The sideboard where this tasting took place came to be called a credenza. From there, a cabinet used to hold drinkware, plates and other items became known by the term as well. Although credenzas are now general storage furniture used in homes and offices, the original name remains. On 1stDibs, explore a variety of credenzas.