Dictionary

demerit en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /dɪˈmɛɹɪt/

Etymology

From Middle English demerit, demerite, from Old French desmerite (modern French démérite) and its etymon Latin dēmeritum. By surface analysis, de- + merit.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A quality of being inadequate; a disadvantage, a fault.
   • [W]hatever they acquire by their Induſtry or Ingenuity […] ſhould be as much their Property, as any diviſions of Land or of Stock that are made to the Sons; and the Poſſeſſion as ſecure, unleſs forfeited by any demerit or offence againſt the cuſtoms of the Family, which grow with time to be the Orders of this little State. 1679, William Temple, “An Essay upon the Original and Nature of Government. […]”, in Miscellanea. […], London: […] A. M. and R. R. for Edw[ard] Gellibrand, […], →OCLC, page 70:
   • They see no merit or demerit in any man or any action. 1790 November, Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, and on the Proceedings in Certain Societies in London Relative to that Event. […], London: […] J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC:
2. (countable, uncountable) A mark given for bad conduct to a person attending an educational institution or serving in the army.
   • 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.) 2002, George W. Bush, Commencement Address at West Point
3. (countable, uncountable) That which one merits or deserves, either of good or ill; desert.
   • I fall to riſe, mount to thy maker, ſpirit, /. Leaue here thy body, death ha's her demerit. c. 1610 (first performance), attributed to John Marston, and/or William Barkstead and Lewis Machin, The Insatiate Countesse. A Tragedie: […], London: […] T[homas] S[nodham] for Thomas Archer, […], published 1613, →OCLC, Act V, signature I2, recto:
   • But when firſt Cleobulus the tyrant of the Lindians, and then Periander the tyrant likewiſe of Corinth (who had neither of them any one jot of vertue or wiſdome) by the greatneſſe of their power, by the number of their friends, and by many benefits and demerits whereby they obliged their adherents, acquired forcibly this reputation, in deſpite of all uſurped the name of Sages; and to this purpoſe cauſed to be ſpred ſowen and divulged throughout all Greece certaine odde ſentences and notable ſayings, as well as thoſe of others, wherewith the former Sages, above named were diſcontented. 1603, Plutarch, “What Signifieth this Word Ei, Engraven over the Dore of Apolloes Temple in the City of Delphi”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Philosophie, Commonlie Called, The Morals […], London: […] Arnold Hatfield, →OCLC, page 1354:

Forms

Antonyms

merit

Deriveds

demerit point · demerit good · demeritorious

Descendants

デメリット

Synonyms

discredit · black mark

Translations (40)

cs nedostatek (quality of being inadequate) · fr démérite (mark for bad conduct) · eo riproĉo (mark for bad conduct) · sv brist (quality of being inadequate) · el μομφή (mark for bad conduct) · cs slabina (quality of being inadequate) · cs napomenutí (mark for bad conduct) · cmn 缺點 /缺点 (quality of being inadequate) · ru изъя́н (quality of being inadequate) · cs chyba (quality of being inadequate) · el κατάκριση (mark for bad conduct) · es demérito (quality of being inadequate) · el επιτίμηση (mark for bad conduct) · es descalificación (mark for bad conduct) · fi puute (quality of being inadequate) · sv nackdel (quality of being inadequate) · zh 记过 (mark for bad conduct) · de Nachteil (quality of being inadequate) · cs poznámka (mark for bad conduct) · fi puutteellisuus (quality of being inadequate) · ru недоста́ток (quality of being inadequate) · ja 短所 (quality of being inadequate) · bg недостатък (quality of being inadequate) · pt demérito (quality of being inadequate) · es sanción (mark for bad conduct) · fr blâme (mark for bad conduct) · ja 咎め (mark for bad conduct) · it demerito (quality of being inadequate) · fi huomautus (mark for bad conduct) · de Minuspunkt (mark for bad conduct) · ca demèrit (quality of being inadequate) · ja デメリット (quality of being inadequate) · fr démérite (quality of being inadequate) · nl tekortkoming (quality of being inadequate) · ja 欠点 (quality of being inadequate) · ru взыска́ние (mark for bad conduct) · fi haitta (quality of being inadequate) · es demérito (mark for bad conduct) · cmn 短處 /短处 (quality of being inadequate) · ru вы́говор (mark for bad conduct)

demerit en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /dɪˈmɛɹɪt/

Etymology

From Latin dēmerit-, the past partipicial stem of dēmereō. By surface analysis, de- + merit.

Meanings

1. (archaic, transitive) To deserve.
   • You hold that every sin is an infinite evil, demeriting endless punishment. 1840, Alexander Campbell, Dolphus Skinner, A discussion of the doctrines of the endless misery and universal salvation, page 351:
2. (archaic, transitive) To depreciate or cry down.
   • 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 […] 1576, John Woolton, The Christian Manuell:

Forms