demerit

Meaning

Noun

1. A quality of being inadequate; a disadvantage, a fault.
2. A mark given for bad conduct to a person attending an educational institution or serving in the army.
3. That which one merits or deserves, either of good or ill; desert.

Verb

1. To deserve.
2. To depreciate or cry down.

Synonyms

defect

fault

weak point

disadvantage

deprivation

destitution

drawback

flaw

handicap

hole

🕳️

lack

misconduct

need

neediness

offence

privation

record

shortage

shortcoming

shortness

sin

smear

smirch

stain

taint

vice

want

wart

weakness

weak spot

demerit mark

bad mark

bad quality

dearth

deficiency

delinquency

Pronounced as (IPA)

/dɪˈmɛɹɪt/

Etymology

Cognate with French: démérite

In summary

From Old French desmerite (modern French démérite).