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merit

n. · v.
US //ˈmɛɹət// UK //mˈɛɹɪt// mer·it
  1. 1 quality or worth (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the quality of being good and deserving praise.

    the quality of being particularly good or worthy, especially so as to deserve praise or reward.

    Example

    The committee will judge each application on its own merit.

    Example

    The artistic merit of the painting was debated by critics, though none could deny the technical skill involved in its creation.
  2. 2 legal facts (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Technical Law

    the actual facts or rightness of a case, rather than technical rules.

    the substantive rightness or wrongness of a legal argument or case, distinguished from procedural or technical matters.

    Example

    The judge decided to hear the case on its merits rather than dismissing it on a technicality.

    Example

    Counsel argued that the court should focus on the merits of the appeal rather than the minor procedural errors made during the initial filing.

    Usage

    Usually used in the plural form 'the merits'.
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  1. 3 spiritual credit (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Religion

    the good things a person does that help them in their next life.

    the accumulation of positive karma or spiritual credit resulting from good deeds.

    Example

    In many traditions, helping others is a way to gain spiritual merit.

    Example

    The monk explained that the accumulation of merit through selfless service is essential for progress toward enlightenment.
  2. 4 to deserve (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to deserve something because of your qualities or actions.

    to be worthy of or deserve a particular treatment, reward, or attention.

    Example

    The new evidence is important enough to merit a second look at the case.

    Example

    The proposal was considered sufficiently innovative to merit a full investigation by the research and development department.

    Usage

    Transitive verb; takes a direct object.
Etymology 1

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; deserving, meritorious”), perfect passive participle of mereō (“to deserve, earn, obtain, merit; to earn a living”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mer- (“to allot, assign”). The English word is probably cognate with Ancient Greek μέρος (méros, “component, part; portion, share; destiny, fate, lot”) and cognate with Old Occitan merit.

Etymology 2

From Middle English meriten, from Middle French meriter, Old French meriter (“to deserve, merit”) (modern French mériter), from merite: see further in Etymology 1. The word is cognate with Italian meritare (“to deserve, merit; to be worth; to earn”), Latin meritāre (“to earn regularly; to serve as a soldier”), Spanish meritar (“to deserve, merit; to earn”).

Word family

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