Word A Day – MERETRICIOUS

meretricious \mer-ih-TRISH-us\

adjective:
1. Of or pertaining to prostitutes; having to do with prostitutes.
2. Alluring by vulgar or flashy display; gaudily and deceitfully ornamental; tawdry; as, “meretricious dress.”
3. Based on pretense or insincerity; as, “a meretricious argument.”

Meretricious comes from Latin meretricius, from from meretrix, meretric-, prostitute, from merere, to earn, to deserve. It is related to merit, to earn, to deserve.

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