2. The belief that rulers should be chosen for their superior abilities and not because of their wealth or birth. [WordNet 1.5]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
meritocracy — mer‧i‧toc‧ra‧cy [ˌmerˈtɒkrəsi ǁ ˈtɑː ] noun meritocracies PLURALFORM [countable] a social system that gives the greatest power and highest social positions to people with the most ability: • Everyone wanted to belong to the new meritocracy,… … Financial and business terms
meritocracy — coined 1958 by British sociologist Michael Young (1915–2002) and used in title of his book, The Rise of the Meritocracy ; from MERIT (Cf. merit) (n.) + CRACY (Cf. cracy). Related: Meritocratic … Etymology dictionary
meritocracy — ► NOUN (pl. meritocracies) 1) government or leadership by people of great merit. 2) a society governed by meritocracy. DERIVATIVES meritocratic adjective … English terms dictionary
meritocracy — [mer΄i täk′rə sē] n. [ MERIT + O + CRACY] 1. an intellectual elite, based on academic achievement 2. a system in which such an elite achieves special status, as in positions of leadership meritocrat n. meritocratic adj … English World dictionary
Meritocracy — Sociology … Wikipedia
meritocracy — mer|i|toc|ra|cy [ˌmerıˈtɔkrəsi US ˈta: ] n plural meritocracies 1.) a social system that gives the greatest power and highest social positions to people with the most ability 2.) the meritocracy the people who have power in a meritocracy… … Dictionary of contemporary English
meritocracy — A social system in which status is achieved through ability and effort (merit), rather than ascribed on the basis of age, class, gender, or other such particularistic or inherited advantages. The term implies that the meritorious deserve any… … Dictionary of sociology
meritocracy — UK [ˌmerɪˈtɒkrəsɪ] / US [ˌmerɪˈtɑkrəsɪ] noun [countable/uncountable] Word forms meritocracy : singular meritocracy plural meritocracies a system or society in which people have influence or status according to their abilities and achievements… … English dictionary
meritocracy — meritocratic /mer i teuh krat ik/, adj. /mer i tok reuh see/, n., pl. meritocracies. 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… … Universalium
meritocracy — [[t]me̱rɪtɒ̱krəsi[/t]] meritocracies N VAR A meritocracy is a society or social system in which people get status or rewards because of what they achieve, rather than because of their wealth or social status … English dictionary
