Meritorious, an adjective, means deserving of praise or honor. Its root is the Latin verb 'to earn,' signifying that the actions merit reward or respect.
Meritorious is an adjective meaning 'deserving of honor or esteem.' Its etymology traces back to the Latin verb 'merēre,' meaning 'to earn,' highlighting that such acts earn respect or rewards.
| Word | meritorious |
|---|---|
| Date | June 17, 2018 |
| Type | adjective |
| Syllables | mair-uh-TOR-ee-us |
| Etymology | People who demonstrate meritorious behavior certainly earn our respect, and you can use that fact to remember that meritorious ultimately traces to the Latin verb merēre, which means "to earn." Nowadays, the rewards earned for meritorious acts are likely to be of an immaterial nature: gratitude, admiration, praise, etc. But that wasn't always so. The history of meritorious recalls a reward more concrete in nature: money. The Latin word meritorius, an ancestor of the English meritorious, literally means "bringing in money." |
| Examples | "Markle received citations for meritorious conduct in the battle at Fort Erie." — Mike McCormick, The Terre Haute (Indiana) Tribune-Star, 15 Apr. 2018 "The Seven Seals award, signed by ESGR National Chair, Craig McKinley, is presented for meritorious leadership and initiative in support of the men and women who serve America in the National Guard and Reserve." — The Hattiesburg (Mississippi) American, 13 May 2018 |
| Definition | : deserving of honor or esteem |
Tags: wordoftheday::adjective
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