demerit
Americannoun
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a mark against a person for misconduct or deficiency.
If you receive four demerits during a term, you will be expelled from school.
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the quality of being censurable or punishable; fault; culpability.
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Obsolete. merit or desert.
noun
-
something, esp conduct, that deserves censure
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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
Explanation
A demerit is a mark for doing something wrong. Running in the hall at school might get you one demerit. Running in the hall naked could get you a demerit that will go down on your permanent record. Avoid! A demerit is also a fault or weakness. If you're trying to decide which candidate to vote for, consider the merits and demerits of each. The other kind of demerit is a punishment — a negative mark against someone, especially a student or a member of the military. Your teacher might have a policy of handing out three demerits before requiring students to stay after school for detention. The Old French desmerite combines des-, "not," and merite, "merit," or "worth."
Vocabulary lists containing demerit
A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe
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Promise Boys
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Excerpt from "Speak"
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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.
The decision means the Melbourne Cricket Ground receives one demerit point.
From BBC • Dec. 29, 2025
International Cricket Council referee Jeff Crowe is yet to deliver his assessment of the pitch, which if handed an "unsatisfactory" rating would see the venue slapped with a demerit point.
From Barron's • Dec. 29, 2025
Yet his job review has never included a bonus for a player being called up to the majors or a demerit when someone comes up short.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2024
That’s it, and that’s not even a demerit.
From Washington Post • Dec. 12, 2022
I can’t find it and get my first demerit for wandering the hall.
From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson
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.
