different between fallacious vs meretricious

English

Etymology

fallacy +? -ous.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /f?.?le?.??s/
• Rhymes: -e???s

Adjective

fallacious (comparative more fallacious, superlative most fallacious)

1. Characterized by fallacy; false or mistaken.
2. Deceptive or misleading.

Usage notes

• Nouns often used with "fallacious": argument, reasoning, etc.

Related terms

• fail
• failure
• fallacy
• fallibilism
• fallibilist
• fallibility
• fallible
• false
• falsifiable
• falsification
• falsificator
• falsifier
• falsify
• falsity

Translations

See also

• wrong
• incorrect
• illogical
• deceiving
• deceitful
• misleading
• delusive
• illusive
• illusory
• erroneous
• faulty
• specious

Further reading

• fallacious in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• fallacious in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• fallacious at OneLook Dictionary Search

English

Etymology

From Latin meretr?cius, from meretr?x (“harlot, prostitute”), from mere? (“earn, deserve, merit”) (English merit) + -tr?x (“(female agent)”) (English -trix).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?m????t????s/, /?m????t????s/
• Rhymes: -???s

Adjective

meretricious (comparative more meretricious, superlative most meretricious)

1. Tastelessly gaudy; superficially attractive but having in reality no value or substance; falsely alluring.
   • 2006, Clive James, North Face of Soho, Picador 2007, p. 164:

     When I lifted my eyes from the page, there was none of the meretricious argument London always offers that the sole real purpose in life is to hustle for a buck.

2. (law) Involving unlawful sexual connection or lack of consent by at least one party (said of a romantic relationship).
3. (obsolete) Of, or relating to prostitutes or prostitution.

Synonyms

• (tastelessly showy): brassy, cheap, flashy, garish, gaudy, gimcrack, tacky, tatty, tawdry, trashy

Related terms

• merit (see also: merit: related terms)

Translations