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

Other Word Forms

• meretriciously adverb
• meretriciousness noun
• unmeretricious adjective
• unmeretriciously adverb
• unmeretriciousness 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

“Shakespeare in Love” kidnapped its subject to force him into a flimsy and meretricious romcom; “Hamnet” reduces the concept of tragedy to actors being extremely sad.

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Or maybe, seen with a cold eye, meretricious.

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These shows raised the bar for musical drama and proved to Broadway that meretricious soullessness isn’t the only way.

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The economic crash of 1929 descended on America like an ice age, ending a meretricious prosperity.

Read more on Salon

His work wasn’t a branch of publicity even as it sought to elevate the truly excellent from the meretricious.

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