Added 3 October 2026
meretricious
/ˌmɛɹɪˈtɹɪʃəs/ adjective
In Latin: meretrīcius Wiktionary
adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about meretricious at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- Tastelessly gaudy; superficially attractive but having in reality no value or substance; falsely alluring.
- Involving unlawful sexual connection or lack of consent by at least one party (said of a romantic relationship).
- Of, or relating to prostitutes or prostitution.
Origin
From Latin meretrīcius, from meretrīx (“harlot, prostitute”), from mereō (“earn, deserve, merit”) (English merit) + -trīx (“(female agent)”) (English -trix).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)