Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Demerit

De-mer′it

,
Noun.
[F.
démérite
demerit (in sense 2), OF.
demerite
demerit (in sense 1), fr. L.
demerere
to deserve well, LL., to deserve well or ill;
de-
+
merere
to deserve. See
De
-, and
Merit
.]
1.
That which one merits or deserves, either of good or ill; desert.
[Obs.]
By many benefits and
demerits
whereby they obliged their adherents, [they] acquired this reputation.
Holland.
2.
That which deserves blame; ill desert; a fault; a vice; misconduct; – the opposite of
merit
.
They see no merit or
demerit
in any man or any action.
Burke.
Secure, unless forfeited by any
demerit
or offense.
Sir W. Temple.
3.
The state of one who deserves ill.

De-mer′it

,
Verb.
T.
[Cf. F.
démériter
to deserve ill. See
Demerit
,
Noun.
]
1.
To deserve; – said in reference to both praise and blame.
[Obs.]
If I have
demerited
any love or thanks.
Udall.
Executed as a traitor . . . as he well
demerited
.
State Trials (1645).
2.
To depreciate or cry down.
[R.]
Bp. Woolton.

De-mer′it

,
Verb.
I.
To deserve praise or blame.

Webster 1828 Edition


Demerit

DEMERIT

,
Noun.
[ L. To earn or deserve.]
1.
That which deserves punishment, the opposite of merit; an ill-deserving; that which is blamable or punishable in moral conduct; vice or crime.
2.
Anciently, merit; desert; in a good sense.

DEMERIT

,
Verb.
T.
To deserve blame or punishment.

Definition 2024


demerit

demerit

English

Noun

demerit (plural demerits)

  1. A quality of being inadequate; a fault; a disadvantage
    • Burke
      They see no merit or demerit in any man or any action.
    • Sir W. Temple
      Secure, unless forfeited by any demerit or offense.
  2. A mark given for bad conduct to a person attending an educational institution or serving in the army.
    • 2002, Commencement Address at West Point, by G.W.Bush:
      A few of you have followed in the path of the perfect West Point graduate, Robert E. Lee, who never received a single demerit in four years. Some of you followed in the path of the imperfect graduate, Ulysses S. Grant, who had his fair share of demerits, and said the happiest day of his life was "the day I left West Point." (Laughter.)
  3. That which one merits or deserves, either of good or ill; desert.
    • Holland
      By many benefits and demerits whereby they obliged their adherents, [they] acquired this reputation.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

demerit (third-person singular simple present demerits, present participle demeriting, simple past and past participle demerited)

  1. (transitive, archaic) To deserve.
    • 1840, Alexander Campbell, Dolphus Skinner, A discussion of the doctrines of the endless misery and universal salvation (page 351)
      You hold that every sin is an infinite evil, demeriting endless punishment.
    • Udall
      If I have demerited any love or thanks.
  2. (transitive, archaic) To depreciate or cry down.
    • Bishop John Woolton
      Faith by her own dignity and worthiness doth not demerit justice and righteousness; but receiveth and embraceth the same offered unto us in the gospel []

Anagrams