meritoriousness

2 definitions found

meritoriousness - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Meritorious \Mer`i*to"ri*ous\, a. [L. meritorius that brings in
     money.]
     Possessing merit; deserving of reward or honor; worthy of
     recompense; valuable.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           And meritorious shall that hand be called,
           Canonized, and worshiped as a saint.     --Shak.
     [1913 Webster] -- Mer`i*to"ri*ous*ly, adv. --
     Mer`i*to"ri*ous*ness, n.
     [1913 Webster]

meritoriousness - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  meritoriousness
      n 1: the quality of being deserving (e.g., deserving
           assistance); "there were many children whose deservingness
           he recognized and rewarded" [syn: deservingness, merit,
           meritoriousness]