emerita

American

[ih-mer-i-tuh] / ɪˈmɛr ɪ tə /

adjective

(of a woman) retired or honorably discharged from active professional duty, but retaining the title of one's office or position.

Kate Johnson, Professor Emerita of Music.

noun

plural

emeritae

a woman with such status.

Etymology

Origin of emerita

< Latin, feminine of ēmeritus emeritus

Compare meaning

How does emerita compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

emerita vs. emeritus

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.

“We’re using speech and writing so interchangeably,” said Naomi Baron, a linguistics professor emerita at American University.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

While some cardinals will think the most important part is following divine guidance, others will have anxiety over making a quick decision, says Tina Beattie, professor emerita of Catholic studies at the University of Roehampton.

From BBC • May 1, 2025

She chose choreographer Robert Battle as her successor and served as the company’s artistic director emerita until her death.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 11, 2024

“Pregnant women have become essentially untouchables,” said Sara Rosenbaum, a health law and policy professor emerita at George Washington University.

From Salon • Nov. 1, 2024

No sooner had the "lady," as Byron was pleased to call her, played her part as decoy, than she was discharged as emerita.

From The Works of Lord Byron. Vol. 3 by Coleridge, Ernest Hartley

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023