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merit

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The definition of merit is an excellent achievement, honor, value or quality that is deserving of approval.

(noun)

An example of merit is someone receiving an award for their charity work.

See merit in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

the state, fact, or quality of deserving well or, sometimes, ill; desert
worth; value; excellence
something deserving reward, praise, or gratitude
a reward or honor given for superior qualities or conduct; mark, badge, etc. awarded for excellence
intrinsic rightness or wrongness apart from formalities, emotional considerations, etc.: to decide a case on its merits

Origin: OFr merite < L meritum < meritus, pp. of merere, to deserve, earn, akin to mereri, to serve for hire < IE base *(s)mer-, to remember, care (hence provide for, allot a share to) > mourn, L memor, mora, Gr meros, a part, moira, lot, fate

transitive verb

to deserve; be worthy of

Related Forms:

meritless adjective

See merit in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

a. Superior quality or worth; excellence: a proposal of some merit; an ill-advised plan without merit.
b. A quality deserving praise or approval; virtue: a store having the merit of being open late.
Demonstrated ability or achievement: promotions based on merit alone.
An aspect of character or behavior deserving approval or disapproval. Often used in the plural: judging people according to their merits.
Christianity Spiritual credit granted for good works.
merits
a. Law A party's strict legal rights, excluding jurisdictional, personal, or technical aspects.
b. The factual content of a matter, apart from emotional, contextual, or formal considerations.