merit English · revision 7954

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1200|origins=la mereo}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈmɛɹɪt/, /ˈmɛɹət/; /ˈmɛɹɪt/, /ˈmɛɹət/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English merite, [[bor|fro|merite|t=wages, reward; moral worth]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) and directly Latin [[m|la|meritum|t=a service, benefit; worth, value]], neuter of meritus, past participle of [[m|la|mereo|alt=merēre|t=to earn, deserve]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from PIE *(s)mer-, to get a share,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) also seen in Greek méros, part.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Spiritual credit for good works: probably before 1200, in the ''Ancrene Riwle'';^(Barnhart 1988) about 1200 in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Etymologically it is that which one deserves, and the Latin word was used of rewards and punishments alike.^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) Spiritual reward is from about 1300,^(Etymonline) and worthiness, excellence, from the early 14th century (about 1420 in the OED).^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The state of deserving reward or punishment is from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) The merits of a case, its intrinsic rights and wrongs in law, are from 1569.^(OED 1989) The verb, to deserve, is from 1484, in Caxton's Aesop,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) and in the 15th century also meant to reward.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1200 – spiritual credit.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * early 14th century – excellence.^(Etymonline)

+ * late 14th century – desert.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1484 – the verb.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1569 – the merits of a case.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Worth or excellence: ''a work of great merit''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A good quality deserving praise.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(merits)'' The intrinsic rights and wrongs of a matter: ''judge on its merits''.^(OED 1989)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(Christianity)'' Spiritual credit for good works.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[deserve]]; to be worthy of.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[meritless]]

+ * [[meritedly]]

+ * [[meritorious]]

+ * [[meritocracy]]

+ * [[meritocrat]]

+ * [[overmerit]]

+ * [[unmeritorious]]

+ * [[premerit]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[demerit]]

+ * [[meretricious]]

+ * [[merited]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}