different between prostitute vs meretricious

English

Etymology

From Latin pr?stit?tus, past participle of pr?stitu?, from pr?? (“for, before”) +? statu? (“to set up, to erect”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?p??st?tju?t/, /?p??st?t?u?t/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?p???st?tu?t/

Verb

prostitute (third-person singular simple present prostitutes, present participle prostituting, simple past and past participle prostituted)

1. (transitive, reflexive) To offer (oneself or someone else) for sexual activity in exchange for money. [from 16th c.]
   • 1611, Bible (Authorized Version), Leviticus xix. 29:

     Do not prostitute thy daughter.

2. (transitive, derogatory) To sacrifice (oneself, one's talents etc.) in return for profit or other advantage; to exploit for base purposes.

Synonyms

• (to offer oneself for sexual activity for money): sell one's body, turn tricks; see also Thesaurus:prostitute oneself
• (to offer another person for sexual activity for money): pimp; see also Thesaurus:pimp out
• (to use one's talents for money): sell out

Related terms

• prostitution

Translations

Adjective

prostitute (comparative more prostitute, superlative most prostitute)

1. (obsolete) Debased, corrupt; seeking personal gain by dishonourable means. [16th–19th c.]
   • 1791, Thomas Paine, Rights of Man:

     [H]e speaks a languages that merits not reply, and which can only excite contempt for his prostitute principles, or pity for his ignorance.

2. Taking part in promiscuous sexual activity, licentious; (later, chiefly as attributive use of noun) that is a prostitute. [from 16th c.]
   • 2008, Niki Adams, Lisa Longstaff, The Guardian, letters, 23 February:

     They rightly say that attacks against prostitute women are common and that it's only when five are murdered in one place that it starts to provoke debate.

3. (obsolete) Exposed, subjected (to something shameful). [16th–18th c.]
   • 1651, Thomas Hobbes, Philosophicall rudiments concerning government and society:

     As a matter of ease, exposed and prostitute to every Mother-wit, and to be attained without any great care or study.

Noun

prostitute (plural prostitutes)

1. Any person (especially a woman) who has sexual intercourse or engages in other sexual activity for payment, especially as a means of livelihood. [from 18th c.]

   Synonyms: sex worker; see also Thesaurus:prostitute

   Hyponyms: see Thesaurus:prostitute

   1. A woman who has sexual intercourse or engages in other sexual activity for payment, especially as a means of livelihood. [from 17th c.]
      • 2012, Kelly Olson, Dress and the Roman Woman: Self-Presentation and Society, page 50:

        Unfortunately, there is to my knowledge no visual evidence for the dress of the Roman prostitute, but the literary sources present us with a range of prostitute clothing (from rich accoutrements all the way down to nothing), […]

2. A person who does, or offers to do, a demeaning or dishonourable activity for money or personal gain; someone who acts in a dishonourable way for personal advantage. [from 17th c.]

   Synonym: sellout

Usage notes

• Some speakers consider prostitutes (sex workers) to be female by default, and thus use "male prostitute" to refer to a man doing the same job.

Synonyms

• Thesaurus:prostitute

Translations

Afrikaans

Noun

prostitute

1. plural of prostituut

Italian

Noun

prostitute f

1. plural of prostituta

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /pro?s.ti?tu?.te/, [p?o?s?t???t?u?t??]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /pros.ti?tu.te/, [p??st?i?t?u?t??]

Participle

pr?stit?te

1. vocative masculine singular of pr?stit?tus

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