What does "emeritus" mean?
A (male) person who is retired from active service or an occupation, especially one who retains an honorific version of a previous title.
Emeritus
/ɪˈmɛɹɪtəs/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A (male) person who is retired from active service or an occupation, especially one who retains an honorific version of a previous title.
- Grammar: emeritus is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: assistant, assistant professor, associate, associate professor.
- Useful contrasts: active, active duties, active professor.
- Usage evidence: "I looked in vain for my chance, believing to find it in the trade; it closed the door in my face and put the key in its pocket", said the emeritus artist late Taleb Rabah in his song "The luck".
How to use "emeritus"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "emeritus" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "emeritus" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "emeritus" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "emeritus" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "emeritus" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "assistant" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "emeritus", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 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.”"
- 2 a professor or minister who is retired from assigned duties wordnet
- 3 An honorific version of a previous title. rare
"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."
Adjective
- 1 Retired, but retaining an honorific version of a previous title. not-comparable, often, postpositional
"emeritus professor professor emeritus professors emeritae"
Adjective
- 1 honorably retired from assigned duties and retaining your title along with the additional title ‘emeritus’ as in ‘professor emeritus’ wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
""I looked in vain for my chance, believing to find it in the trade; it closed the door in my face and put the key in its pocket", said the emeritus artist late Taleb Rabah in his song "The luck"."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "emeritus"?
Common synonyms include: assistant, assistant professor, associate, associate professor, distinguished former professor, distinguished status.
How do you use "emeritus" in a sentence?
"I looked in vain for my chance, believing to find it in the trade; it closed the door in my face and put the key in its pocket", said the emeritus artist late Taleb Rabah in his song "The luck".
How do you pronounce "emeritus"?
Pronounced /ɪˈmɛɹɪtəs/.
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.