Attracting attention in a vulgar manner: meretricious ornamentation. See Synonyms at gaudy1.
Plausible but false or insincere; specious: a meretricious argument.
Of or relating to prostitutes or prostitution: meretricious relationships.
[Latin meretrīcius, of prostitutes, from meretrīx, meretrīc-, prostitute, from merēre, to earn money; see (s)mer-2 in Indo-European roots.] mer'e·tri'cious·ly adv., mer'e·tri'cious·ness n.
1626, from L. meretricius "of or pertaining to prostitutes," from meretrix (gen. meretricis) "prostitute," lit. "woman who earns money," from merere, mereri "to earn, gain" (see merit).