meritocracy
Use Meritocracy in a sentence
ɪˈtɒk noun, plural mer·i·toc·ra·cies.
1.
an elite group of people whose progress is based on ability and talent rather than on class privilege or wealth.
2.
a system in which such persons are rewarded and advanced: The dean believes the educational system should be a meritocracy.
3.
leadership by able and talented persons.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To meritocracy
Collins
World English Dictionary
meritocracy (ˌmɛrɪˈtɒkrəsɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n , pl -cies | |
| 1. | rule by persons chosen not because of birth or wealth, but for their superior talents or intellect |
| 2. | the persons constituting such a group |
| 3. | a social system formed on such a basis |
| 'meritocrat | |
| —n | |
| meritocratic | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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00:10
Meritocracy
is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
meritocracy
coined 1958 by Michael Young and used in title of his book, "The Rise of the Meritocracy"; from merit + ending from aristocracy, etc. Related: Meritocratic.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary
meritocracy [(mer-i-tok-ruh-see)]A government or society in which citizens who display superior achievement are rewarded with positions of leadership. In a meritocracy, all citizens have the opportunity to be recognized and advanced in proportion to their abilities and accomplishments. The ideal of meritocracy has become controversial because of its association with the use of tests of intellectual ability, such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test, to regulate admissions to elite colleges and universities. Many contend that an individual's performance on these tests reflects his or her social class and family environment more than ability.
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
They are free-marketeers who believe furiously in meritocracy.
He represents the triumph of meritocracy in an increasingly open society.
They still want to believe that meritocracy is still well and alive in the country.
When jobs and deals go to the good old boys, networks tend to undermine meritocracy.
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