meritocrat

[ mer-i-tuh-krat ]

noun

1. a member of a meritocracy.

Word History and Origins

Origin of meritocrat¹

First recorded in 1955–60; merito(cracy) + -crat

Example Sentences

“I wish my name was Hunter Biden,” this bearded, faux-jawlined meritocrat told Sean Hannity on Fox News on Wednesday night, discussing Joe Biden’s son.

From The Guardian

Buttigieg seems to embody a vision of the meritocrat as influencer, giving Clinton-era ideals a contemporary, self-expressive twist.

From The New Yorker

Taylor, it’s true, is really another type of fantasy character, as heightened as Axe—they are, like him, nearly godlike in their talents: a handsome, emotionally sensitive meritocrat who upends bigotry through exceptional performance.

From The New Yorker

Bush; well, the typical meritocrat is born on third base, hustles home, and gets praised as if he just hit a grand slam.

From New York Times

The abiding image of a no-nonsense, lighthearted meritocrat emerges.

From The Guardian