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

1obsolete : offense2 a: a quality that deserves blame or lacks merit : fault, defect b: lack of merit3: a mark usually entailing a loss of privilege given to an offender