emeritus
nounUS, UK /ɪˈmɛɹɪtaɪ/ · /əˈmɛɹətaɪ/
Etymology
The adjective is a learned borrowing from Latin ēmeritus (“(having been) earned, (having been) merited; (having been) served, having done one’s service”), the perfect passive participle of ēmereō (“to earn, merit; to gain by service; (military) to complete one’s obligation to serve, to serve out one’s time”), from ex- (prefix meaning ‘away; out’) + mereō (“to deserve, merit; to acquire, earn, get, obtain; to render service to; to serve”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mer- (“to allot; to assign”)). The noun is derived from the adjective. The plural form emeriti is borrowed from Latin ēmeritī.
1
A (male) person who is retired from active service or an occupation, especially one who retains an honorific version of a previous title.
- Martin Engels said: “I am not posted on dyke-bridges, but if it is a Dutch scheme there may be something in it. That engineer made a mistake by calling the city officials emerituses. He should not call people names if he wants the Municipal Council to build his twenty-four-million-dollar bridge. If the Tammany organization wants to build a dyke-bridge, I’m for it.”1900 September 21, “Dyke-Bridge Proposed. Engineer Santi Wants to Unite Manhattan and Richmond Boroughs—Tammany Men’s Views.”, in The New York Times, volume L, number 15,820, New York, N.Y., page 11, column 7:
- Now, we have no criticism for college presidents and emerituses as such. A man may be all that and still be a pretty good fellow—whatever the effect might be on his character and happiness. But there is one thing certain—no one man can know it all.1914 February 15, “The Case of Dr. Eliot”, in The Topeka Daily Capital, volume XXXVII, number 362, Topeka, Kan., page 8 B, column 1:
4 more examples
- A “State-of-Mind” called Winter Park, / Where genius thrives, a brilliant spark, / Emerituses tramp thru dark / To hear illustrious profs remark / On “culchar,” tone and style. / So, hark, / While dogs, in tongues semantic, bark!1938 April 12, “How Time Flies (From Reporter-Star Files)”, in Orlando Reporter-Star, volume 52, number 47, Orlando, Fla., poem “Rhapsodies!”, stanza I, page four, column 3:
- Oh you, veteran crime reporter, you grave old usher, you once popular policeman, now in solitary confinement after gracing that school crossing for years, you wretched emeritus read to by a boy!1955, Vladimir Nabokov, chapter 8, in Lolita, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: G[eorge] P[almer] Putnam’s Sons, published August 1958, →OCLC, part 1, page 30:
- And so, another well-deserving name has been added to Central Florida’s list of emerituses, perhaps the most distinguished lineup of names in the area.1961 December 22, Charlie Wadsworth, “Hush Puppies”, in Orlando Sentinel, volume 77, number 222, Orlando, Fla., pages 10—C, column 2:
- Should he take the international presidency in a few years he would be in line for the AFL-CIO National Executive Council, now replete with emerituses.1963 April 22, Victor Riesel, “Inside Labor—Power’s Star Rides on Union Vote”, in Omaha World-Herald, 98th year, number 176, Omaha, Neb., page 3ᴹ, column 4:
2
Rare An honorific version of a previous title.
Plural emerituses
- With a string of “emerituses” behind his name, last of which was acquired with the Welfare society resignation, [George Q.] Sheppard now lives in retirement in his home at The Hill, 722 King street.1941 May 31, Bob Zissa, “Typewriter Becomes His Best Pal: ‘It’s Easy to Learn to Loaf’, Declares Retired Hill Master”, in Pottstown Mercury, volume 10, number 210, Pottstown, Pa., page one, column 7:
- NOW THE VENERABLE and distinguished First National Bank bossman has joined a distinguished league. To my knowledge, he shares his honors with two other distinguished Orlandoans — Dr. J. Powell Tucker, pastor emeritus of the First Baptist Church, and J. C. Brossier, editor emeritus of the Orlando Evening Star. And now that Dr. and Mrs. Tucker have returned home from a month’s vacation trip, the good doctor can sit down today with Mr. Allen and Mr. Brossier and they can talk about their emerituses.1961 August 15, Charlie Wadsworth, “Hush Puppies”, in Orlando Sentinel, volume 77, number 93, Orlando, Fla., pages 4—B, column 1:
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- Marshall Keeble, president emeritus of Nashville Christian Institute, and A. M. Burton, president emeritus of Life & Casualty Insurance, have more in common than their age (85), their frequent meetings or their emerituses.1964 March 29, George Barker, “Brother Keeble and the Lord”, in The Nashville Tennessean Sunday Magazine, page 6, column 1:
- NOW THE holder of numerous emerituses and honorary titles in recognition of her long service, Mrs. [Chalmers W.] Hutchison [a.k.a. Bessie Hutchison] still has not retired from her lively interest in all things that are “moving” nor from watching the contemporary scene.1966 September 19, Pauline Naylor, “90 Years Don’t Fetter Interest”, in Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 86th year, number 231, page 3-B, column 1:
- He was also a visiting professor of chemical engineering, and received an Emeritus in 1967.1976, A History of Temple, New Hampshire, 1768-1976, Dublin, N.H.: William L. Bauhan, →ISBN, page 473:
- After receiving her emeritus in 1976 she has lectured at the University of Berkeley, and University of Vienna.1981, First International Congress on the History of Turkish-Islamic Science and Technology, 14-18 September 1981, page 18: