A meritocracy is a society or social system in which people get status or rewards because of what they achieve, rather than because of their wealth or social status.
meritocracy in British English
(ˌmɛrɪˈtɒkrəsɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-cies
1.
rule by persons chosen not because of birth or wealth, but for their superior talents or intellect
2.
the persons constituting such a group
3.
a social system formed on such a basis
Derived forms
meritocrat (ˈmeritoˌcrat)
noun
meritocratic (ˌmɛrɪtəˈkrætɪk)
adjective
meritocracy in American English
(ˌmɛrɪˈtɑkrəsi)
noun
1.
an intellectual elite, based on academic achievement
2.
a system in which such an elite achieves special status, as in positions of leadership