Demerit Definition

dĭ-mĕrĭt
demerits
noun
demerits
A quality deserving blame; fault; defect.
Webster's New World
Lack of merit.
Webster's New World
A mark made against one's record for a fault or for misconduct.
American Heritage
A mark recorded against a student, trainee, etc. for poor conduct or work.
Webster's New World
That which one merits or deserves, either of good or ill; desert.
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
  • loss of credit
  • loss of points
  • bad mark
  • mark against one
  • fault
  • loss of distinction
Antonyms:
verb

(archaic) To deserve.

Wiktionary

To depreciate or cry down.

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Demerit

Noun

Singular:
demerit
Plural:
demerits

Origin of Demerit

  • Middle English demerite offense from Old French desmerite from Latin dēmeritum from neuter past participle of dēmerēre to deserve dē- de- merēre to earn (s)mer-2 in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Old French desmerite (compare French démérite).

    From Wiktionary

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