1620s, "pertaining to harlots," from Latin meretricius "of or pertaining to prostitutes," from meretrix (genitive meretricis) "prostitute," literally "woman who earns money," from merere, mereri "to earn, gain" (see merit (n.)). Meaning "gaudily alluring" is from 1630s. Related: Meretriciously; meretriciousness.
实用例句
1. A wooden building painted to look like marble is meretricious.
一座漆得像大理石般的木制建筑物外表是美丽的.来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
2. Her room was painted in meretricious technicolour.
