meritocracy

[mer-i-tok-ruh-see]

noun

plural

meritocracies 

1. an elite group of people whose progress is based on ability and talent rather than on class, privilege, or wealth.

2. a system in which such persons are rewarded and advanced.

   The dean believes the educational system should be a meritocracy.

3. leadership by able and talented persons.

meritocracy

/ ˌmɛrɪtəˈkrætɪk, ˌmɛrɪˈtɒkrəsɪ /

noun

1. rule by persons chosen not because of birth or wealth, but for their superior talents or intellect

2. the persons constituting such a group

3. a social system formed on such a basis

meritocracy

1. A government or society in which citizens who display superior achievement are rewarded with positions of leadership. In a meritocracy, all citizens have the opportunity to be recognized and advanced in proportion to their abilities and accomplishments. The ideal of meritocracy has become controversial because of its association with the use of tests of intellectual ability, such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test, to regulate admissions to elite colleges and universities. Many contend that an individual's performance on these tests reflects his or her social class and family environment more than ability.

Other Word Forms

• meritocrat noun
• meritocratic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of meritocracy¹

First recorded in 1955–60; merit + -o- + -cracy

Example Sentences

Experts say family involvement without meritocracy and absence of formal agreements complicate matters.

From BBC

It is a culture that is diametrically opposed to the meritocracy that has made this town’s other glamour team so great.

From Los Angeles Times

“But I do think that in a meritocracy, in that vein, Hyeseong has earned opportunities.”

From Los Angeles Times

"They say it's a matter of meritocracy to be a citizen, that you have to earn it. But more than being myself, what do I have to demonstrate?"

From BBC

He explains that Tom Cruise’s Maverick represents the “more traditional American values of meritocracy over aristocracy amid what was supposed to be a cultural revolution intended to set up a new inverted aristocracy.”

From Salon