lucre
UK: ˈluːkə | US: ˈluːkər
n. Money or profit, especially when regarded as sordid or morally corrupting.
The word "lucre" traces back to the Latin lucrum, meaning "gain" or "profit." It entered Middle English via Old French lucre, retaining its association with monetary gain but often carrying a negative connotation of greed or ill-gotten wealth. The term is now archaic or literary, frequently paired with "filthy" to emphasize moral disdain for material wealth.
He pursued power not for filthy lucre but for genuine reform.
The scandal revealed how politicians traded influence for lucre.
In the tale, the miser hoarded lucre while his family starved.
She disdained the lucre of corporate life, choosing art instead.
The phrase "filthy lucre" originates from the Tyndale Bible.