filthy lucre: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, literary, biblical, journalistic
Quick answer
What does “filthy lucre” mean?
Money, especially when it is regarded as ill-gotten, morally tainted, or gained in a dishonorable way.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Money, especially when it is regarded as ill-gotten, morally tainted, or gained in a dishonorable way.
Any financial gain acquired through greed, corruption, or unethical means; often used to express contempt for money's corrupting influence.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Slightly more likely to be used in a literary or historical context in both varieties.
Connotations
Strongly negative and judgmental in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally rare and literary in both UK and US English.
Grammar
How to Use “filthy lucre” in a Sentence
verb + filthy lucre (e.g., chase after filthy lucre)preposition + filthy lucre (e.g., motivated by filthy lucre)adjective + filthy lucre (e.g., tainted filthy lucre)Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used critically in business ethics discussions to describe unethical profits.
Academic
Appears in literature, theology, and social criticism discussing morality and wealth.
Everyday
Very rare; used for emphatic, often humorous or sarcastic, criticism of greed.
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “filthy lucre”
- Using it to refer to any money without the negative connotation.
- Treating 'lucre' as a standalone word in modern context (it is archaic outside this phrase).
- Incorrectly pluralizing as 'filthy lucres'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it carries a strong negative connotation and implies the money is gained dishonorably or immorally. Using it for an honest wage would be incorrect and sarcastic at best.
No, 'lucre' is archaic and is almost exclusively used today in the fixed phrase 'filthy lucre'.
It originates from William Tyndale's 1526 translation of the New Testament (Titus 1:11) and later appears in the King James Bible.
It is formal, literary, and somewhat old-fashioned. In everyday speech, it might be used for dramatic, humorous, or ironic effect.
Money, especially when it is regarded as ill-gotten, morally tainted, or gained in a dishonorable way.
Filthy lucre: in British English it is pronounced /ˌfɪlθi ˈluːkə(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌfɪlθi ˈluːkər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Chasing the almighty dollar”
- “Money is the root of all evil”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'filthy' as disgustingly dirty money and 'lucre' sounds like 'lure' - money that lures people into immoral acts.
Conceptual Metaphor
MONEY IS FILTH / CORRUPTION IS A STAIN
Practice
Quiz
"Filthy lucre" is most appropriately used to describe: