Dictionary formmeritum, meriti(neuter)
Translation
merit, desert; service, kindness; fault, blame
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Grammar
Cases
| Case | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominativethe subject | meritum | merita |
| Vocativecalling someone: O ... | meritum | merita |
| Accusativethe direct object; after ad, in (into), per | meritum | merita |
| Genitiveof | meriti | meritorum |
| Dativeto, for | merito | meritis |
| Ablativeby, with, from; after a, ab, cum, de, e, ex, in (in), sine | merito | meritis |
Examples
.
He received honour by his own desert.
.
He suffered these things deservedly.
.
They gave thanks for his services.
.
Many things are said about his merits.
.
Nobody denies his merit.
Meritum, meriti, n., second declension: the neuter participle of mereor pressed into service as a noun, "the thing deserved". It cuts both ways. A meritum is a service that earns thanks and also a fault that earns punishment, so tuo merito can mean "thanks to you" or "it serves you right", and only the surrounding sentence decides which.
The ablative merito hardened into an adverb meaning "deservedly, with good reason", and that is how this corpus uses the word more often than not. Medieval theology then loads the plural up: merita are the credits a soul has accumulated, and the whole quarrel over indulgences and the treasury of merit is fought in this vocabulary. English merit, meritorious and emeritus, the man who has served out his time and earned the retirement.
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Latin · Free printables
meritum: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Latin word "meritum" (merit, desert; service, kindness; fault, blame): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is taught in chapter 4, lesson 12: meritum, porta, amplius and 11 more words.