meretricious

[ mer-i-trish-uhs ]

adjective

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

   Synonyms: gaudy, showy

2. based on pretense, deception, or insincerity.

   Synonyms: false, sham, spurious

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

meretricious

/ ˌmɛrɪˈtrɪʃəs /

adjective

1. superficially or garishly attractive
2. insincere

   meretricious praise

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

Derived Forms

• ˌmereˈtriciousness, noun
• ˌmereˈtriciously, adverb

Other Words From

• 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of meretricious¹

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; -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of meretricious¹

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

Example Sentences

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

From The Daily Beast

Then the mask is taken off, meretricious ornaments are dispensed with, and consequently native qualities appear.

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

As in everything that Seguin has painted, there was undoubtedly a certain meretricious beauty and force about it.

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

The people are already beginning to distinguish between the wholesome and the meretricious in their newspapers.

From Project Gutenberg