merit

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A good quality that deserves praise or reward.

   The committee judged each entry on its artistic merit.

2. 2
   verb

   To deserve or be worthy of something.

   Her brilliant performance merited the standing ovation it received.

3. 3
   noun

   The real facts and arguments of a case, judged in themselves.

   The judge dismissed the technicalities and decided the case on its merits.

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, dem…

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