merit

(mĕrˈĭt)

1. 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.
2. Demonstrated ability or achievement: promotions based on merit alone.
3. An aspect of character or behavior deserving approval or disapproval. Often used in the plural: judging people according to their merits.
4. Christianity Spiritual credit granted for good works.
5. 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.

Related Forms:

• merˈit·less adjective