English

Noun

meritocracy ‎(plural meritocracies)

1. Rule by merit, and talent.
2. A type of society where wealth, income, and social status are assigned through competition.

Usage notes

Though widely used as a term of praise,^[2] the term was original coined as a satire, and a critique of awarding educational achievement.^[1]

Derived terms

• meritocrat
• meritocratic

Translations

References

1. 1 2 Down with meritocracy, by Michael Young, in The Guardian, June 29, 2001.
2. ↑ Meritocracy's Lab Rat, by Timothy Noah