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mérito

MEH-ree-toh/ˈmeɾito/

“mérito” means “merit” in Spanish (the quality of being particularly good or worthy).

merit, worth

Also: credit, effort
NounmB1
A shiny gold medal with a blue ribbon resting on a polished wooden surface.

📝 In Action

Tu dibujo tiene mucho mérito, te esforzaste mucho.

B1

Your drawing has a lot of merit; you put in a lot of effort.

No quiero quitarle mérito a su trabajo.

B1

I don't want to take away credit from his work.

Ganaron el partido por sus propios méritos.

B2

They won the game on their own merits.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • desmérito (lack of merit)
  • defecto (flaw)

Common Collocations

  • hacer méritos – to earn points / to try to impress
  • quitar mérito – to downplay someone's achievement
  • por méritos propios – through one's own efforts

Idioms & Expressions

  • Dar el mérito a quien lo merece – To give credit where credit is due

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: mérito

Question 1 of 2

Which phrase would you use to say someone got a job because they worked hard for it?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
merecer(to deserve) — Verb
meritorio(praiseworthy / meritorious) — Adjective
merecido(deserved) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
créditopretéritodébito
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'meritum', which refers to a reward, service, or something earned. It comes from the root 'mereri', meaning 'to earn or deserve'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: meritFrench: mériteItalian: merito

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'mérito' the same as 'éxito'?

No. 'Éxito' means 'success' (the result), while 'mérito' is the 'worth' or 'deservingness' (the reason you should be praised).

What does 'hacer méritos' mean in a social context?

It means doing things specifically to gain someone's favor or to earn a promotion, like 'scoring points' with a boss.