WordWeb Online

1. Be worthy or deserving
   "You merit a promotion after all the hard work you have done";
   - deserve

1. Any admirable quality or attribute
   "work of great merit";
   - virtue
    
2. The quality of being deserving (e.g., deserving assistance)
   "there were many children whose merit he recognized and rewarded";
   - deservingness, meritoriousness

Derived forms: merited, merits, meriting

Type of: be, worth, worthiness

Antonym: demerit

Encyclopedia: Merit, Texas