emeritus
ih-MAIR-ih-tuss
/ɪˈmerɪtəs/
Retired from official duties while retaining an honorary title and privileges associated with the former position.
Bestowed specifically as an honor upon distinguished retired scholars, professors, or executives.
The story behind the word. In ancient Rome, an 'emeritus' was a veteran soldier who had completed his required military service and earned an honorable discharge alongside a pension. Universities borrowed the term to honor scholars who spent their entire careers serving the institution with distinction.
Word relationships
- honorary retired: Descriptive phrase, whereas emeritus is the formal institutional title.
- retired: Retired simply means having stopped working; emeritus indicates retaining an official honorary rank and library or lab privileges.
- active: Currently performing paid duties in full capacity.
Commonly confused with
- adjunct: An adjunct is a temporary, part-time instructor; an emeritus professor is a distinguished retired permanent scholar.
Word family
- emerita (adjective/noun): Feminine form of emeritus (often used as 'professor emerita').
- emeriti (plural noun): Plural form referring to retired distinguished faculty.
Collocations
- professor emeritus
- emeritus status
- named emeritus
- emerita (feminine form)
Example sentences
- "Professor Emeritus Harrison still keeps an office on campus and occasionally advises doctoral candidates." Honorary academic status
- "The board granted her emeritus status in recognition of her forty years of pioneering research." Distinction in retirement
Memory hook
An EMERITUS professor has EARNED (mereri) his exit (EX) with HONOR. Retired scholar retaining honorary rank.
When not to use
Do not use for employees who left ordinary jobs without special institutional distinction, or who were dismissed.
Fun facts
- In traditional Latin grammar, 'emeritus' follows the noun (e.g., 'Professor Emeritus'), reflecting its Latin origin as a post-positive adjective.
Related words
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