lucre

American  

[loo-ker] / ˈlu kər /

noun

1. monetary reward or gain; money.

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lucre British  

/ ˈluːkə /

noun

1. facetious money or wealth (esp in the phrase filthy lucre )

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Etymology

Origin of lucre

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin lucrum profit; akin to Old English lēan reward, German Lohn, Gothic, Old Norse laun

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Explanation

Lucre is another word for money, or profit. It's most often used to describe money gotten illegally or immorally. Well-heeled bankers and lawyers make profits; drug dealers and bank robbers get filthy, rotten lucre. You might think of lucre as the term that gets at the dark side of capitalism. Some people will do anything in the pursuit of lucre. Political groups that call Hollywood immoral still accept the lucre that it offers. We all love money, except when it causes us to do terrible things to ourselves and others. Then it's lucre.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lucre

There’s no trove of tariff lucre from which to pay “dividends.”

From Slate ● Sep. 12, 2026

And he's making it very clear that he will not be happy if they don't come across with plenty of lucre to fill his royal coffers.

From Salon ● Dec. 16, 2024

Commenting on the lucre to be had, Parker said, “It isn’t real money. It isn’t. I think it’s made of compressed snow. It just melts in your hands.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2023

Even those devoted to the accumulation of lucre might discover how they can bring business skills to needy communities — at least that is the hoped-for outcome.

From New York Times ● Jan. 5, 2023

Then she tried a child’s story, which she could easily have disposed of if she had not been mercenary enough to demand filthy lucre for it.

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

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