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Lagniappe

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la·gniappe

[lan-yap, lan-yap]
–noun
1.
Chiefly Southern Louisiana and Southeast Texas. a small gift given with a purchase to a customer, by way of compliment or for good measure; bonus.
2.
a gratuity or tip.
3.
an unexpected or indirect benefit.
Also, la·gnappe.


Origin:
1840–50, Americanism; < LaF < AmerSp la ñapa the addition, equiv. to la fem. definite article + ñapa, var. of yapa < Quechua: that which is added
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
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World English Dictionary
lagniappe or lagnappe (lænˈjæp, ˈlænjæp, lænˈjæp, ˈlænjæp) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
1.  a small gift, esp one given to a customer who makes a purchase
2.  something given or obtained as a gratuity or bonus
 
[C19: Louisiana French, from American Spanish la ñapa, from Quechua yápa addition]
 
lagnappe or lagnappe
 
n
 
[C19: Louisiana French, from American Spanish la ñapa, from Quechua yápa addition]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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Word Origin & History

lagniappe
"dividend, something extra," 1849, from New Orleans creole, of unknown origin though much speculated. Originally a bit of something given by New Orleans shopkeepers to customers. Said to be from Amer.Sp. la ñapa "the gift." Klein says this is in turn from Quechua yapa "something added, gift."
"We picked up one excellent word -- a word worth travelling to New Orleans to get; a nice, limber, expressive, handy word -- 'lagniappe.' They pronounce it lanny-yap. It is Spanish -- so they said." [Mark Twain, "Life on the Mississippi"]
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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