Main Entry: de·mer·it

Pronunciation: \di-ˈmer-ət, dē-, -ˈme-rət\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French demerite, from Medieval Latin demeritum, from neuter of demeritus, past participle of demerēre to be undeserving of, from Latin, to earn, from de- + merēre to merit

Date: 15th century

1 obsolete : offense
2 a : a quality that deserves blame or lacks merit : fault, defect b : lack of merit
3 : a mark usually entailing a loss of privilege given to an offender