Definition of meritocracy
meritocracies
1 : a system in which the talented are chosen and moved ahead on the basis of their achievement only the elite, in that new meritocracy, would enjoy the opporunity for self-fulfillment — R. P. Warren
2 : leadership selected on the basis of intellectual criteria many private schools have sold their birthright by choosing … “diversity” over scholarly meritocracy — L. G. Crovitz
From the M-W Editors
Recent Examples of meritocracy from the Web
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That, in short, sums up the philosophy behind Kraft Heinz’s system of meritocracy.
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Silicon Valley really, really wants to be a meritocracy.
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Is the public wrong for seeing the Army as an uber-competent institution, a learning organization and a meritocracy?
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'meritocracy'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of meritocracy
1merit + -o- + -cracy
First Known Use: 1958
Other Government and Politics Terms
Learn More about meritocracy
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about meritocracy
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