mereō

mereō

• From Proto-Italic *merēō, from earlier *merējō, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mr̥-éh₁-yeti, from *(s)mer- (“to assign, allot”).
• Cognate of Ancient Greek μέρος (méros, “share, portion”).
• See also Latin merx, Ancient Greek μείρομαι (meíromai, “to receive as one's portion or due”) and Hittite 𒈥𒀝𒍣 (mar-ak-zi /⁠marktsi⁠/, “to cut up, divide (a sacrifice), separate, unravel”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈmɛ.re.oː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈmɛː.re.o]

Verb

mereō (present infinitive merēre, perfect active meruī, supine meritum); second conjugation

1. to deserve, merit
2. to earn, get, obtain, acquire

   Synonyms: acquīrō, adipīscor, cōnsequor, lucror, parō, pariō, impetrō, sūmō, emō, comparō, apīscor, obtineō, potior, inveniō, conciliō, nancīscor, colligō, alliciō

   Antonym: āmittō

3. to serve, to render service to (with ablative of the person or thing interested)

   Synonym: prōsum

4. to earn a living