Is there a word for words like this that seem misspelled when actually correct?
If there isn't such a word, W'ON, perhaps we should create one.

May I propose meritricious in juxtaposition to "meretricious", something which is "tawdrily and falsely attractive"?

Thus, a meritricious word is one which is meritorious in spite of the fact that it appears falsely unattractive.

In mythology, it was commonplace for gods and goddesses (not to mention heroes like Ulysses) to disguise themselves as mendicants to test the metal of ambitious mortals.

A meritricious word performs the same function for linguistic purists [of which, I hasten to say, I am not one]. It flushes out the unworthy.