meretricious

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Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˌmɛɹɪˈtɹɪʃəs/, /ˌmɛɹəˈtɹɪʃəs/

Adjective

meretricious

1. Tastelessly gaudy; superficially attractive but having in reality no value or substance; falsely alluring.
   • 2006, Clive James, North Face of Soho, Picador 2007, p. 164:

     When I lifted my eyes from the page, there was none of the meretricious argument London always offers that the sole real purpose in life is to hustle for a buck.

2. (legal) Involving unlawful sexual connection or lack of consent by at least one party (said of a romantic relationship)
3. (obsolete) Of, or relating to prostitutes or prostitution.

Synonyms

• (tastelessly showy) brassy, cheap, flashy, garish, gaudy, gimcrack, tacky, tatty, tawdry, trashy

Related terms

• merit (see also: merit: related terms)

Translations

• French: spécieux,de mauvais goût

Translations

• French: racoleur,putassier
• German: dirnenhaft
• Spanish: meretricio

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