The feminine form of an honorific title given to a woman who has retired from a position of honor (like professor, president, or director) while retaining her title.
From Latin emerita, feminine of emeritus, meaning 'one who has earned out' or 'one deserving of honor.' Used in academic and professional contexts to honor retiring women.
While 'emeritus' for men has been used for centuries in universities, 'emerita' only became common in the 1970s as women entered academia in larger numbers—language evolves with society.
Emerita is the feminine form of emeritus, a Latin gendered distinction used in academic titles. This grammatical gender persists in English academic contexts, creating parallel female/male forms unlike most modern English nouns.
Use emeritus as gender-neutral for all retirees, or use name + retired status. If emerita/emeritus distinction is retained, ensure it appears with equal frequency and prestige.
["retired professor","professor emeritus (all genders)","professor, retired"]
The continued use of gendered emerita/emeritus forms reflects women's historical exclusion from academia; acknowledging women scholars' emerita status honors their contributions, but standardizing emeritus for all genders avoids unnecessary gender marking.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.