Added 9 October 2026
merit
/ˈmɛɹɪt/ noun
In Latin: meritum Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about merit at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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Any admirable quality or attribute.
work of great merit
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The quality of being deserving (e.g., deserving assistance).
there were many children whose deservingness he recognized and rewarded
verb
Origin
From Middle English merit, merite (“quality of person’s character or conduct deserving of reward or punishment; such reward or punishment; excellence, worthiness; benefit; right to be rewarded for spiritual service; retribution at doomsday; virtue through which Jesus Christ brings about salvation; virtue possessed by a holy person; power of a pagan deity”), from Anglo-Norman merit, merite, Old French merite (“moral worth, reward; merit”) (modern French mérite), from Latin meritum (“that which one deserves, deserts; benefit, reward, merit; service; kindness; importance, value, worth; blame, demerit, fault; grounds, reason”), neuter of meritus (“deserved, earned, obtained; due, proper, right; .
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)