merit的词源

英文词源

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 pine 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 pide" 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.

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。

该词的英语词源请访问趣词词源英文版：merit 词源，merit 含义。