meretriciousness

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌmɛrəˈtrɪʃəsnəs/ UK /ˌmɛrɪˈtrɪʃəsnəs/ See IPA manual

noun

Meanings

1

noun
the quality of being superficially attractive but lacking real value or integrity

The flashy jewelry was criticized for its meretriciousness.
2

noun
insincere allure; the quality of being relating to or characteristic of a prostitute

The novel explored themes of meretriciousness in its portrayal of certain characters.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the quality of being... gaudinessflashinesstawdriness pretentiousness ostentation

2 noun · insincere allure; the... superficiality falseness deceptivenessspeciousnessinsincerity

Opposites

genuineness authenticity sincerity

Etymology

From Latin meretrix ('prostitute') plus -osus (suffix of fullness) giving meretricius ('pertaining to prostitutes; flashy'); via Late Latin and Middle English meretricious ('deceptively attractive'), with English -ness forming the noun meretriciousness ('superficial allure; falseness').

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

# meretriciousness

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** ˌmɛrəˈtrɪʃəsnəs
**IPA (UK):** ˌmɛrɪˈtrɪʃəsnəs

## Meanings
1. the quality of being superficially attractive but lacking real value or integrity
2. insincere allure; the quality of being relating to or characteristic of a prostitute

## Examples
- The flashy jewelry was criticized for its meretriciousness.
- The novel explored themes of meretriciousness in its portrayal of certain characters.

## Synonyms
- gaudiness
- flashiness
- tawdriness
- pretentiousness
- ostentation
- superficiality
- falseness
- deceptiveness
- speciousness
- insincerity

## Antonyms
- genuineness
- authenticity
- sincerity

## Etymology
From Latin meretrix ('prostitute') plus -osus (suffix of fullness) giving meretricius ('pertaining to prostitutes; flashy'); via Late Latin and Middle English meretricious ('deceptively attractive'), with English -ness forming the noun meretriciousness ('superficial allure; falseness').

## AI Etymology
Meretriciousness comes from Latin meretrix ('prostitute') plus -osus (suffix of fullness) giving meretricius ('pertaining to prostitutes; flashy'); via Late Latin and Middle English meretricious ('deceptively attractive'), with English -ness forming the noun meretriciousness ('superficial allure; falseness'). In current use it is a noun meaning "the quality of being superficially attractive but lacking real value or integrity". That sense is explained by the older material without requiring a speculative semantic step: the inherited or borrowed base supplies the field of meaning, while the English formation fixes its modern role. The surface form is compositional: its joined elements remain visible in the modern word. The word's history is thus visible in its construction: the components remain interpretable even after the whole expression has settled into a conventional English meaning.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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meretriciousness

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