Emeritus
[ə-MER-ə-dəs]
Part of speech: adjective
Origin: Latin, mid-18th century
1.
(Of the former holder of an office, especially a college professor) Having retired but allowed to retain their title as an honor.
Examples of Emeritus in a sentence
"The banquet was held every year to honor the emeritus professors."
"As an emeritus member, she was welcome to sit in on lectures."
About Emeritus
Academia is a career path unlike any other. Most people earn their degree and move on, but some folks remain on campus for the rest of their lives, from undergraduate to graduate school, after which there are positions in teaching and research. Tenure provides job security, but when a professor is ready for retirement, they can maintain privileges with an emeritus role.
Did you Know?
In Latin, the verb "emereri" means "to earn one's discharge by service." "Emeritus" comes from that, meaning you earned your retirement, so you're still entitled to the honor and title. The female form is "emerita," but you're unlikely to see that out-of-date usage anymore.
