3 December 2013

meretricious

[mer-i-trish-uhs]

adjective

1. alluring by a show of flashy or vulgar attractions; tawdry. Example, a meretricious city
2. based on pretense, deception, or insincerity. Example: meretricious behaviour
3. pertaining to or characteristic of a prostitute. Example: meretricious relationship.

Origin:
1620–30; < Latin meretrīcius of, pertaining to prostitutes, derivative of meretrīx prostitute = mere-, stem of merēre to earn + -trīx -trix; see -ous

Related forms
mer·e·tri·cious·ly, adverb
mer·e·tri·cious·ness, noun
un·mer·e·tri·cious, adjective
un·mer·e·tri·cious·ly, adverb
un·mer·e·tri·cious·ness, noun

Can be confused: meritorious, meretricious.

Synonyms
1. showy, gaudy. 2. spurious, sham, false.

Anagram

Cries Emu Riot

Today’s aphorism

The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to chose one thought over another.

– William James

On this day

3 December – International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

3 December 1944 – Civil war breaks out in Greece following its liberation during World War II, when communist rebels fight democratic forces for control.

3 December 1948 – birth of Ozzy Osbourne, legendary British rocker, former lead singer of Black Sabbath, who has also had a successful solo career. He was born as John Michael Osbourne.

3 December 1984 – Bhopal Union Carbide accident in India in which thousands of people die from toxic gases that leaked from the factory when safety systems failed.

3 December 1992 – the world’s first SMS is sent. This monumental event occurred in the United Kingdom when Neil Papworth of the SEMA Group used a PC to send the message over a Vodafone GSM network to Richard Jarvis of Vodafone, who was using an Orbitel 901 phone. The message was ‘Merry Christmas’.

3 December 1993 – death of Frank Zappa, American revolutionary musician. Born 21 December 1940.