merit

英['merɪt] 美['mɛrɪt]

复数: merits;第三人称单数: merits;过去式: merited;过去分词: merited;现在分词: meriting;

merit 功绩，才能，优点

来自古法语merite,工资，奖励，神的赐予，来自拉丁语merere,挣得，赚取，应得，来自PIE*smer,分配，划分，部分，词源同polymer,emeritus.字面意思即赚取自己应得的部分，引申词义奖品，精神奖励，神的礼物，并抽象化为功绩，才能，优点等。

merit (n.): c. 1200, "spiritual credit" (for good works, etc.); c. 1300, "spiritual reward," from Old French merite "wages, pay, reward; thanks; merit, moral worth, that which assures divine pity," and directly from Latin meritum "a merit, service, kindness, benefit, favor; worth, value, importance," neuter of meritus, past participle of merere, meriri "to earn, deserve, acquire, gain," from PIE root *(s)mer- (2) "to allot, assign" (cognates: Greek meros "part, lot," moira "share, fate," moros "fate, destiny, doom," Hittite mark "to divide" a sacrifice).

Sense of "worthiness, excellence" is from early 14c.; from late 14c. as "condition or conduct that deserves either reward or punishment;" also "a reward, benefit." Related: Merits. Merit system attested from 1880. Merit-monger was in common use 16c.-17c. in a sense roughly of "do-gooder."
merit (v.): late 15c., "to be entitled to," from Middle French meriter (Modern French mériter), from merite (n.), or directly from Latin meritare "to earn, yield," frequentative of mereri "to earn (money);" also "to serve as a soldier" (see merit (n.)). Related: Merited; meriting.

1. Surely such weighty matters merit a higher level of debate?: 这样重大的事件谅必应进行更高级别的讨论吧？

2. For his dedication the Mayor awarded him a medal of merit.: 为表彰他的奉献精神，市长授予他荣誉奖章。

3. "It's of no great literary merit," he said, almost apologetically.: “它没多大的文学价值，”他近乎愧疚地说道。

4. Your feature has the merit of simply stating what has been achieved.: 你这篇专题文章的可取之处是简明扼要地道出了取得的成就。