A demerit is a mark assigned to a person, typically a student, as a penalty for wrongdoing or breaking a rule.
"She got three demerits for being late to class."
This mark reflects a record of poor behavior or mistakes, often used in educational settings to discourage rule violations.
Author’s summary:
A demerit is a formal penalty mark used mainly in schools to indicate a student's misconduct or rule-breaking, highlighting accountability.