merit

[ mer-it ]

noun

1. claim to respect and praise; excellence; worth.

   Synonyms: esteem, value

2. something that deserves or justifies a reward or commendation; a commendable quality, act, etc.:

   The book's only merit is its sincerity.

3. merits, the inherent rights and wrongs of a matter, as a lawsuit, unobscured by procedural details, technicalities, personal feelings, etc.:

   The case will be decided on its merits alone.

4. Often merits. the state or fact of deserving; desert:

   to treat people according to their merits.

5. Roman Catholic Church. worthiness of spiritual reward, acquired by righteous acts made under the influence of grace.
6. Obsolete. something that is deserved, whether good or bad.

verb (used with object)

1. to be worthy of; deserve.

verb (used without object)

1. Chiefly Theology. to acquire merit.

adjective

1. based on merit:

   a merit raise of $25 a week.

merit

/ ˈmɛrɪt /

noun

1. worth or superior quality; excellence

   work of great merit

2. often plural a deserving or commendable quality or act

   judge him on his merits

3. Christianity spiritual credit granted or received for good works
4. the fact or state of deserving; desert
5. an obsolete word for reward

verb

1. tr to be worthy of; deserve

   he merits promotion

Derived Forms

• ˈmeritless, adjective
• ˈmerited, adjective

Other Words From

• merit·ed·ly adverb
• merit·less adjective
• half-merit·ed adjective
• over·merit verb
• pre·merit verb (used with object)
• self-merit noun
• un·merit·ed adjective
• un·merit·ed·ly adverb
• well-merit·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of merit¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Latin meritum “act worthy of praise (or blame),” noun use of neuter of meritus, past participle of merēre “to earn”

Word History and Origins

Origin of merit¹

C13: via Old French from Latin meritum reward, desert, from merēre to deserve

Idioms and Phrases

see on its merits .

Synonym Study

See desert ³.

Example Sentences

Unusually jaunty when he met with reporters Monday, Foster poked fun at the academic merits of the school across town.

From Los Angeles Times

Two were absolutely on merit - Lewis Hamilton’s victories in Britain and Belgium.

From BBC

Like Barbra Streisand, who recently penned a 970-page memoir, Cher is one of the handful of artists whose extraordinary life merits the extra ink.

From Los Angeles Times

“I welcome both a debate about the merits of these reform initiatives and an audit of U.F.’s expenses,” he wrote.

From New York Times

Some public health advocates find merit in certain Kennedy stances, or at least say they are worth further scrutiny—several European countries eschew fluoridation, for example.

From Science Magazine

Related Words

• deserve
• just deserts
• justify
• warrant