Merit definition

mĕrĭt
merited merits
See word origin
Frequency:
An aspect of character or behavior deserving approval or disapproval.

Judging people according to their merits.

noun
16
6
To be worthy or deserving.

Pupils are rewarded or corrected, as they merit.

verb
16
7
To earn; deserve.
verb
9
2
To deserve; be worthy of.
verb
9
2
In various religions, spiritual credit granted for good works.
noun
3
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The definition of merit is an excellent achievement, honor, value or quality that is deserving of approval.

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

noun
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Worth; value; excellence.
noun
3
2
A quality deserving praise or approval; virtue.

A store having the merit of being open late.

noun
1
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The factual content of a matter, apart from emotional, contextual, or formal considerations.
noun
1
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Something deserving reward, praise, or gratitude.
noun
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Superior quality or worth; excellence.

A proposal of some merit; an ill-advised plan without merit.

noun
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(law) The factors to be considered in making a substantive decision in a case, independent of procedural or technical aspects.

A trial on the merits.

noun
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A reward or honor given for superior qualities or conduct; mark, badge, etc. awarded for excellence.
noun
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Intrinsic rightness or wrongness apart from formalities, emotional considerations, etc.

To decide a case on its merits.

noun
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The substantive elements of a claim or defense.
noun
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The validity of a claim or defense (as in “the defense of impossibility is without merit”).
noun
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Description of adjudication of a matter on its substantive elements, not on procedural or technical grounds.
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Something deserving positive recognition.

His reward for his merit was a check for $50.

noun
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Something worthy of a high rating.
noun
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A claim to commendation or reward.
noun
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The quality of deserving reward.
noun
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Reward deserved; any mark or token of excellence or approbation.

His teacher gave him ten merits.

noun
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To earn or to deserve.

Her performance merited its wild applause.

verb
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(intransitive) To be worthy or deserving.
verb
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Demonstrated ability or achievement.

Promotions based on merit alone.

noun
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1
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The state, fact, or quality of deserving well or, sometimes, ill; desert.
noun
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1

Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
merit
Plural:
merits

Origin of merit

  • Middle English from Old French merite reward or punishment from Latin meritum from neuter past participle of merēre to deserve (s)mer-2 in Indo-European roots

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

  • From Middle English merite, from Old French merite, from Latin meritum (“that which one deserves, just deserts; service, kindness, benefit, fault, blame, demerit, grounds, reason, worth, value, importance"), neuter of meritus, past participle of mereō (“I deserve, earn, gain, get, acquire"), akin to Ancient Greek μέρος (meros, “a part, lot, fate, destiny").

    From Wiktionary

Merit Sentence Examples

  • Kutuzov's merit lay, not in any strategic maneuver of genius, as it is called, but in the fact that he alone understood the significance of what had happened.

  • The idea has merit.

  • The merit of Bruce is that he did not despise the lesson.

  • Rank is nominally determined by merit, as tested by competitive examinations.

  • The architecture of the city is not without merit.

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Words near merit in the Dictionary