meritorious
[mer-i-tawr-ee-uh s, -tohr-]
- deserving praise, reward, esteem, etc.; praiseworthy: to receive a gift for meritorious service.
Origin of meritorious
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for meritorious
Contemporary Examples
Ibrahim Kalin, and advisor to Erdogan, spoke of a “meritorious isolation” of the country.
The Queen was so impressed that she had a watch inscribed to Miss Eagle for ‘meritorious and extraordinary clairvoyance.’
“Meritorious promotions are now meritorious if you can believe it,” he said.
The reforms that Howard advocates, meritorious as they are, require political support to be enacted.
Historical Examples
The object so meritorious, who can doubt the reality of his professions?
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)Samuel Richardson
I think it is requisite, and as meritorious, in the one as in the other.
Clarissa, Volume 2 (of 9)Samuel Richardson
In fact, she is a perfect employment bureau for meritorious youth.
The Dominant StrainAnna Chapin Ray
It was an able committee from which a meritorious work might reasonably be expected.
Hymns and Hymnwriters of DenmarkJens Christian Aaberg
This meritorious and curious production is therefore now scarce.
The Superstitions of WitchcraftHoward Williams
meritorious
- praiseworthy; showing merit
Word Origin
C15: from Latin meritōrius earning money
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for meritorious
adj.
early 15c., "deserving of divine grace," from Latin meritorius "that for which money is paid, that by which money is earned," from meritus, past participle of merere "to earn" (see merit (n.)). Related: Meritoriously; meritoriousness.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper