immĕrĭtus (inm-), a, um, adj. [inmeritus], undeserved (in the adj. mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose).
I Act. , that has not deserved something, undeserving , guiltless , innocent : delicta majorum immeritus lues, Romane, Hor. C. 3, 6, 1; so of persons, id. ib. 1, 28, 30; Ov. Tr. 2, 274; Quint. 6 praef. § 4; cf. gens, Verg. A. 3, 2: urbes, Ov. M. 12, 550: agni, Hor. S. 2, 3, 211: locus, id. Ep. 1, 14, 12: paries, id. S. 2, 3, 7: vestis, id. C. 1, 17, 28: arbor, Prop. 4 (5), 3, 19: ungues, id. 2, 4, 3 (13).—With inf.: virtus recludens immeritis mori Caelum, Hor. C. 3, 2, 21.—Subst.: inmĕrĭ-tum , i, n., the absence of guilt or desert : cur tu, obsecro, immerito meo me morti dedere optas? for no fault of mine , Plaut. As. 3, 3, 18; id. Men. 2, 3, 25.—
II Pass. , that is not deserved , undeserved , unmerited (much less freq.): laudibus haud immeritis onerare aliquem, Liv. 4, 13 fin. : credulus immerita Phasida juvit ope, Ov. F. 2, 42: opes, Mart. 7, 32, 6: querelae, Val. Fl. 8, 158.—Hence, adv.: immĕrĭto ( inm- ), undeservedly , unjustly , without cause (esp. freq. with a negative): jam dudum te omnes nos accusare audio Immerito, et me omnium horunc immeritissimo, Ter. Phorm. 290: si praeter opinionem, si immerito, si misera, si ingrata, etc., * Cic. de Or. 2, 79, 322: haud equidem immerito Cumanae carmine vatis Cautum, Luc. 8, 824: ut eos non immerito probaverit sanctissimus censor, with perfect justice , justly , Quint. 4 praef. § 3; so, non immerito, id. 8, 6, 62; 9, 1, 12; 9, 4, 35; 10, 1, 116; Suet. Caes. 55; id. Calig. 10; 51; id. Ner. 13: neque immerito, Ter. Ad. 615; Quint. 7 praef. § 2; 7, 7, 1; 10, 1, 27; 11, 2, 1; 12, 10, 75: nec immerito, id. 2, 8, 1; Sen. Ep. 11 fin.