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Glite Dictionary
🏆 A talented leader 🤝 A supporter of ability
meritocrat

meritocrat

1 7.0
A person who believes people should be picked for jobs because of talent, not other factors
  • noun
  • /ˈmɛrɪtəˌkræt/
: meritócrata
  • Besides, effort may be a virtue, but even the meritocrats don't think it deserves rewards independent of results or achievement.

Examples

  • Which often enrages both the "real" meritocrats and the aspirants who are trying to rise "honestly" through the genuine acclaim of others.

    Blog text (20)

  • In a meritocracy, leaders are chosen based on talent and skills, making the system fairer for all meritocrats.

  • Many meritocrats believe that education should focus on ability, not on connections or wealth.

  • As a meritocrat, she argued that success should come from hard work and talent, rather than family background.

Antonyms

nepotist
1 7.7

A person who gives jobs to family members or close friends

How Meritocratic

meritocrat
1 7.0
supporter
810 1.0
skeptic
  • US
149 4.1

Surface Forms

meritocrat singular
meritocrats plural

Morphology

meritocrat = merit (transparent) = merit + ocrat

Formed from 'merit' + the combining suffix '-ocrat' (denoting a person associated with a principle), so the derivation is straightforward.

Etymology

Meritocrat comes from merit ('deserving' or 'earned') and -crat ('rule' or 'power'), like the ending in democrat. So a meritocrat is someone who believes people should be chosen for jobs and honours because they 'earned' them by skill and hard work.