English Explanatory Dictionary

emeritus

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Retired, but retaining an honorific version of a previous title.
noun
  1. A (male) person who is retired from active service or an occupation, especially one who retains an honorific version of a previous title.
  2. An honorific version of a previous title.

Pronunciation

/ɪˈmɛɹɪtəs/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-emeritus.wav /əˈmɛɹətəs/ /ɪˈmɛɹɪtaɪ/ /əˈmɛɹətaɪ/ En-us-emeriti.oga

Word forms

emeritus emerita emeriti emerituses emeritae

Etymology

The adjective is a learned borrowing from Latin ēmeritus (“(having been) earned, (having been) merited; (having been) served, having done one’s service”), the perfect passive participle of ēmereō (“to earn, merit; to gain by service; (military) to complete one’s obligation to serve, to serve out one’s time”), from ex- (prefix meaning ‘away; out’) + mereō (“to deserve, merit; to acquire, earn, get, obtain; to render service to; to serve”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mer- (“to allot; to assign”)). The noun is derived from the adjective. The plural form emeriti is borrowed from Latin ēmeritī.

Related words

emerit emerited erstwhile ex- ex former honorary emerita emeritum emeritate
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