meritorious

[mer-i-tawr-ee-uh s, -tohr-]

See more synonyms for meritorious on Thesaurus.com

adjective

deserving praise, reward, esteem, etc.; praiseworthy: to receive a gift for meritorious service.

Origin of meritorious

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin meritōrius on hire. See merit, -tory¹, -ous

Related formsmer·i·to·ri·ous·ly, adverbmer·i·to·ri·ous·ness, nounun·mer·i·to·ri·ous, adjectiveun·mer·i·to·ri·ous·ly, adverbun·mer·i·to·ri·ous·ness, noun

Can be confusedmeritorious meretricious

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.
Erdogan’s Foreign Policy Reset
Thomas Seibert
January 25, 2014
The Queen was so impressed that she had a watch inscribed to Miss Eagle for ‘meritorious and extraordinary clairvoyance.’
How Queen Victoria's Affection For John Brown Sprang From His Contact With Dead Albert's Shade
Tom Sykes
June 13, 2013
“Meritorious promotions are now meritorious if you can believe it,” he said.
Chicago Police Say Shooting Deaths Are Declining
Michael Daly
May 31, 2013
The reforms that Howard advocates, meritorious as they are, require political support to be enacted.
Just Use Your Common Sense
Henry Stern
October 1, 2010

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 Strain
Anna Chapin Ray
It was an able committee from which a meritorious work might reasonably be expected.
Hymns and Hymnwriters of Denmark
Jens Christian Aaberg
This meritorious and curious production is therefore now scarce.
The Superstitions of Witchcraft
Howard Williams

British Dictionary definitions for meritorious

meritorious

adjective

praiseworthy; showing merit

Derived Formsmeritoriously, adverbmeritoriousness, noun

Word Origin

C15: from Latin meritōrius earning money

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

meritorious

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}meritorious

Related Words

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?

I think it is requisite, and as meritorious, in the one as in the other.

In fact, she is a perfect employment bureau for meritorious youth.

It was an able committee from which a meritorious work might reasonably be expected.

This meritorious and curious production is therefore now scarce.

meritorious

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for meritorious

adj.

Origin of meritorious