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. 2, 1, 60: 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,