meretricious的词源

英文词源

meretricious (adj.)

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.

中文词源

meretricious：妓女的，虚有其表的，金玉其外的

来自拉丁语meretrix,妓女，来自mereri,挣钱，赚取自己应得的部分，来自PIE*mer,smer,砍，切，分配，词源同merit,polymer.-trix,表阴性，词源同dominatrix.字面意思即赚钱的女人，用于委婉语指妓女。并由此引申多种贬义词义。最终词源可能同market,mercy.

该词的英语词源请访问趣词词源英文版：meretricious 词源，meretricious 含义。