Where does “meretricious” come from?
Meretricious derives from Latin meretricius, from Latin meretrix meaning prostitute, combining the Proto-Indo-European root (s)mer- with the agent suffix -tḗr and feminine suffix -h₂.
meretricious (English): Tastelessly gaudy; superficially attractive but...
Definitions
- Tastelessly gaudy; superficially attractive but...
Ancestry of “meretricious”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | meretrīcius | meretricious: Of or related to prostitutes and prostitution |
| 2 | Latin | meretrīx | a female prostitute or courtesan |
| 3 | Latin | -trīx | ess, -ress, -trix |
| 4 | Latin | calx | limestone; chalk; the finish line |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | χάλιξ | small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble |