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

• ˌmereˈtriciously, adverb
• ˌmereˈtriciousness, noun

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

The production can’t hide the show’s meretricious heart, but like the song that Scherzinger endows with Puccini-esque splendor, Lloyd has discovered “new ways to dream” Webber’s musical.

From Los Angeles Times

But as a character study, with Holocaust themes deepening the stakes of the domestic turmoil, the play holds up extremely well in its critique of a world that has lost its capacity for silence and that is prepared to sacrifice literature for meretricious distraction.

From Los Angeles Times

Or maybe, seen with a cold eye, meretricious.

From New York Times

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

From Los Angeles Times

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

From Salon