merit
[mer-it]
- claim to respect and praise; excellence; worth.
- something that deserves or justifies a reward or commendation; a commendable quality, act, etc.: The book's only merit is its sincerity.
- 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.
- Often merits. the state or fact of deserving; desert: to treat people according to their merits.
- Roman Catholic Church. worthiness of spiritual reward, acquired by righteous acts made under the influence of grace.
- Obsolete. something that is deserved, whether good or bad.
Show More
- to be worthy of; deserve.
Show More
- Chiefly Theology. to acquire merit.
Show More
- based on merit: a merit raise of $25 a week.
Show More
Origin of merit
1175–1225; Middle English < Latin meritum act worthy of praise (or blame), noun use of neuter of meritus, past participle of merēre to earn
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comSynonym study
1. See desert3.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
dignitytalentintegrityvaluebenefitexcellencevirtuestaturequalityworthinessdeservewarrantjustifyaretecaliberdesertworthcreditgoodassetExamples from the Web for merits
Contemporary Examples
So, the arrival of a foreign journalist in Belgika merits a town meeting.
The government has blocked every opportunity to challenge this case on its merits.
He criticized rather than praised the merits of powerful government, but he did so with unequivocal certainty.
U.S. schools will receive funding and “customers” regardless of their merits (or lack thereof).
I could bring concepts to her and have them considered on their merits.
The Valerie Jarrett I Know: How She Saved the Obama Campaign and Why She’s IndispensableJoshua DuBois
November 18, 2014
Historical Examples
She had already forgotten the entire matter, and was deep in the merits of collars!
Ester Ried Yet SpeakingIsabella Alden
Were they his rivals, he found the perfect word for their merits and shortcomings.
The Man ShakespeareFrank Harris
Again the elder blew a reflective cloud over the merits of the question.
Quaint CourtshipsVarious
No other man, let his merits be what they may, could have these advantages in my opinion.
Tales And Novels, Volume 4 (of 10)Maria Edgeworth
He watched her anxiously, quick to approve her merits as she displayed them.
The Black BagLouis Joseph Vance
merits
- the actual and intrinsic rights and wrongs of an issue, esp in a law case, as distinct from extraneous matters and technicalities
- on its merits on the intrinsic qualities or virtues
Show More
merit
- worth or superior quality; excellencework of great merit
- (often plural) a deserving or commendable quality or actjudge him on his merits
- Christianity spiritual credit granted or received for good works
- the fact or state of deserving; desert
- an obsolete word for reward
Show More
- (tr) to be worthy of; deservehe merits promotion
Show More
See also merits
Word Origin
C13: via Old French from Latin meritum reward, desert, from merēre to deserve
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 merits
merit
n.
c.1200, "spiritual credit" (for good works, etc.); c.1300, "spiritual reward," from Old French merite "wages, pay, reward; thanks; merit, moral worth, that which assures divine pity," and directly from Latin meritum "a merit, service, kindness, benefit, favor; worth, value, importance," neuter of meritus, past participle of merere, meriri "to earn, deserve, acquire, gain," from PIE root *(s)mer- "to allot, assign" (cf. Greek meros "part, lot," moira "share, fate," moros "fate, destiny, doom," Hittite mark "to divide" a sacrifice).
Sense of "worthiness, excellence" is from early 14c.; from late 14c. as "condition or conduct that deserves either reward or punishment;" also "a reward, benefit." Related: Merits. Merit system attested from 1880. Merit-monger was in common use 16c.-17c. in a sense roughly of "do-gooder."
Show More
merit
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with merits
merit
see on its merits.
Show More
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.