meretricious

[ mer-i-trish-uhs ]
See synonyms for: meretriciousmeretriciousness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. alluring by a show of flashy or vulgar attractions; tawdry.

  2. based on pretense, deception, or insincerity.

  1. Archaic. relating to or characteristic of a prostitute.

Origin of meretricious

1
First recorded in 1620–30; from Latin meretrīcius “of, pertaining to prostitutes,” derivative of meretrīx “prostitute,” equivalent to mere-, stem of merēre “to earn” + -trīx -trix; see -ous

Other words for meretricious

Other words from meretricious

  • mer·e·tri·cious·ly, adverb
  • mer·e·tri·cious·ness, noun
  • un·mer·e·tri·cious, adjective
  • un·mer·e·tri·cious·ly, adverb
  • un·mer·e·tri·cious·ness, noun

Words that may be confused with meretricious

Words Nearby meretricious

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use meretricious in a sentence

  • Now that Laura has been revealed to be little more than a collection of notes, the debate seems silly, meretricious.

    The Nabokov Mess | Nathaniel Rich | November 22, 2009 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • Then the mask is taken off, meretricious ornaments are dispensed with, and consequently native qualities appear.

  • But to-night her now hateful, meretricious image rose, with horrid vividness, before him.

    What Timmy Did | Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes
  • As in everything that Seguin has painted, there was undoubtedly a certain meretricious beauty and force about it.

  • A pintura de la Feria became a term in Spain for a meretricious picture.

    The Story of Seville | Walter M. Gallichan
  • The people are already beginning to distinguish between the wholesome and the meretricious in their newspapers.

    Marse Henry (Vol. 2) | Henry Watterson

British Dictionary definitions for meretricious

meretricious

/ (ˌmɛrɪˈtrɪʃəs) /


adjective
  1. superficially or garishly attractive

  2. insincere: meretricious praise

  1. archaic of, like, or relating to a prostitute

Origin of meretricious

1
C17: from Latin merētrīcius, from merētrix prostitute, from merēre to earn money

Derived forms of meretricious

  • meretriciously, adverb
  • meretriciousness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012