4 syllables: Mer, e, tri, cious. Stress on tri.
mur-it-RISH-uhs
/ˌmɚɪˈtrɪʃəs/
Meretricious is pronounced mur-it-RISH-uhs (/ˌmɚɪˈtrɪʃəs/). It has four syllables (Mer-e-tri-cious), with the stress on "tri". Meretricious is an adjective meaning attractively showy but having no real value or integrity; flashy or tawdry in a way that is designed to mislead. It often describes appearances, motives, or attractions that are superficially appealing yet hollow or deceptive. The term implies a lure that seems valuable but is ultimately insubstantial or misleading.
adjectiveMeretricious is an adjective meaning attractively showy but having no real value or integrity; flashy or tawdry in a way that is designed to mislead. It often describes appearances, motives, or attractions that are superficially appealing yet hollow or deceptive. The term implies a lure that seems valuable but is ultimately insubstantial or misleading.
"The museum’s meretricious facade drew visitors inside, though the exhibits were disappointingly dull."
"Critics dismissed the film as meretricious, full of flashy stunts but lacking substance."
"Her meretricious jewelry glittered, but it failed to conceal the modesty of her performance."
Pronounce as /ˌmær.əˈtrɪʃ.əs/ (US) or /ˌmæ.rɪˈtrɪʃ.əs/ (UK). Start with mer- sounding like 'mare-uh' with primary stress on the third syllable: -t- rhymes with 'rich' in the final two syllables, and the final -ous sounds like 'uhs'. IPA cues: US: /ˌmær.əˈtrɪʃ.əs/; UK: /ˌmæ.rɪˈtrɪʃ.əs/. Place the tongue high at the second syllable, keep the lips neutral-to-rounded on the 'trish' cluster, and finish with a weak, unstressed '-əs'. Audio reference: you can hear solid realizations on Pronounce or Forvo and related dictionaries.
Common errors include stressing the wrong syllable (shifting to mer-ET-ri-ci-ous), swallowing the middle vowel too quickly making /ˈmɜːrɪˈtrɪʃəs/, or pronouncing /tr</w>ɪ/ as a hard 'tri' instead of the softened 'trɪ' sound. Correct by exporting the st accent on the third syllable and maintaining a clear 'tr' cluster: /ˌmær.əˈtrɪʃ.əs/. Also avoid over-pronouncing the final -ous; keep it a light schwa or /əs/.
In US, the primary stress is on the third syllable: /ˌmær.əˈtrɪʃ.əs/. UK tends to a slightly fuller first vowel and a crisper /ɪ/ in the second syllable: /ˌmæ.rɪˈtrɪʃ.əs/. Australian pronunciation is similar to US but with more centralized vowels in unstressed syllables and a softer /ɪ/; final -ous often reduced to /əs/. Overall, rhoticity is non-issue; syllable count remains four, but vowel quality shifts subtly with accent.
Difficulties center on the multi-syllable rhythm (four syllables) and the mid streched /ˈtrɪʃ/ cluster where the tongue must glide quickly from a lightly rounded /ə/ to a crisp /ɪ/ while maintaining the weak final /əs/. The secondary stress lands on the second syllable in some vernaculars, while the main stress sits on the third, demanding precise timing. The combination of a subtle unstressed vowel, the /tr/ blend, and the final weak /əs/ makes it easy to misplace stress or mispronounce the middle vowel.
Meretricious has no silent letters, but the difficult features include maintaining the secondary-to-primary stress shift across the four syllables. The sequence -ri- is a short, clipped /rɪ/; the -cious ending is /ʃəs/, which can be softened in rapid speech. The stress typically falls on the third syllable (/ˈtrɪ/), but listeners may misplace it. Focus on the four-beat rhythm and keeping the /tr/ cluster tight.
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US: rhotic; keep /r/ strong but not overwhelming; front vowels wider. UK: non-rhotic? In many contexts, you’ll still hear a light /r/ in connected speech; emphasize /æ/ or /eɪ/ in first vowel slightly more; AU: more centralized vowels, softer /ɪ/; keep the /trɪ/ light and the /ʃəs/ ending clear. IPA references remain /ˌmær.əˈtrɪʃ.əs/ (US) /ˌmæ.rɪˈtrɪʃ.əs/ (UK) /ˌmær.əˈtrɪʃ.əs/ (AU). Focus on maintaining the four-syllable rhythm across accents.
Meretricious comes from Latin meretricius, meaning ‘of a prostitute’ or ‘prostitute-like,’ related to meretrix (meaning ‘prostitute’). The modern sense evolved in English from late Middle English usage implying something flashy or tawdry associated with prostitution or the mercenary lure of sexual attraction. Over time, the word broadened to describe things that are superficially attractive or alluring but lacking real value, often with a connotation of manipulation or deception. The shift from a literal sex-work origin to a figurative sense of deceptive allure reflects historical attitudes toward appearances, value, and virtue. First known use in English traces to the 16th-17th centuries; by the 18th century, meretricious was commonly used to critique art, fashion, or rhetoric that prioritized surface glitter over substance. Today, it retains a negative nuance, signaling something that is enticing on the surface but ultimately unsubstantial or misleading in intent or quality.
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Words that rhyme with "Meretricious"
-ous sounds
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