demerit
Americannoun
-
a mark against a person for misconduct or deficiency.
If you receive four demerits during a term, you will be expelled from school.
-
the quality of being censurable or punishable; fault; culpability.
-
Obsolete. merit or desert.
noun
-
something, esp conduct, that deserves censure
-
a mark given against a person for failure or misconduct, esp in schools or the armed forces
-
a fault or disadvantage
Other Word Forms
- demeritorious adjective
- demeritoriously adverb
Etymology
Origin of demerit
1350–1400; Middle English (< Old French desmerite ) < Medieval Latin dēmeritum fault, noun use of neuter past participle of Latin dēmerēre to earn, win the favor of ( dē- taken in ML as privative, hence pejorative). See de-, merit
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
International Cricket Council referee Jeff Crowe is yet to deliver his assessment of the pitch, pondering whether to give it an "unsatisfactory" rating which would see the venue slapped with a demerit point.
From Barron's • Dec. 28, 2025
The movie’s one major demerit is a lack of screen time for Cheadle, whose character is a welcome presence in the book.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 30, 2022
If a venue receives five demerit points in a five-year period, it will be suspended from hosting international cricket for 12 months.
From BBC • Dec. 13, 2022
That’s it, and that’s not even a demerit.
From Washington Post • Dec. 12, 2022
“Excuse me, Miss Durand, that's one demerit for running.”
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
