gratuitous - Definitions from Dictionary.com

7 results for: gratuitous

Browse Nearby Entries

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

gra·tu·i·tous

Audio Help [gruh-too-i-tuh

s, -tyoo-] Pronunciation Key

–adjective

1.	given, done, bestowed, or obtained without charge or payment; free; voluntary.

2.	being without apparent reason, cause, or justification: a gratuitous insult.

3.	Law. given without receiving any return value.

[Origin: 1650–60; < L grātuītus free, freely given, spontaneous, deriv. of grātus thankful, received with thanks (for formation cf. fortuitous); see -ous

]

—Related forms

gra·tu·i·tous·ly, adverb

gra·tu·i·tous·ness, noun

—Synonyms 2. unnecessary, superfluous, redundant; causeless, unreasonable, groundless, unprovoked, unjustified.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
gratuitous

To learn more about gratuitous visit Britannica.com

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

gra·tu·i·tous Audio Help (grə-tōō'ĭ-təs, -tyōō'-) Pronunciation Key
adj.

Given or granted without return or recompense; unearned.
Given or received without cost or obligation; free.
Unnecessary or unwarranted; unjustified: gratuitous criticism.

[From Latin grātuītus; see g^werə-² in Indo-European roots.]

gra·tu'i·tous·ly adv., gra·tu'i·tous·ness n.

(Download Now or Buy the Book)

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
gratuitous

1656, "freely bestowed," from L. gratuitus "free, spontaneous, voluntary," from gratia "favor." Sense of "uncalled for, done without good reason" is first recorded 1691.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

gratuitous
adjective
1.	without cause; "a gratuitous insult"
2.	costing nothing; "complimentary tickets"; "free admission" [syn: complimentary]
3.	unnecessary and unwarranted; "a strikers' tent camp...was burned with needless loss of life"

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
graˈtuitous1 adjective

(derogatory) done, said etc without good reason or excuse or when not wanted
Example: gratuitous insults

Arabic:	لا مُبَرِّر له
Chinese (Simplified):	没有理由的
Chinese (Traditional):	沒有理由的
Czech:	bezdůvodný
Danish:	umotiveret; uberettiget
Estonian:	asjatu
Finnish:	aiheeton
French:	gratuit
German:	grundlos
Greek:	αδικαιολόγητος
Hungarian:	indokolatlan, alaptalan
Icelandic:	tilefnislaus, ástæðulaus
Indonesian:	tak semestinya
Italian:	gratuito
Japanese:	いわれのない

Korean:	까닭없는
Latvian:	nepelnīts
Lithuanian:	neturintis pagrindo, *priežasties, niekuo nepaaiškinamas
Norwegian:	uprovosert, uberettiget
Polish:	nieuzasadniony
Portuguese (Brazil):	gratuito
Portuguese (Portugal):	gratuito
Romanian:	nejustificat
Russian:	беспричинный
Slovak:	bezdôvodný, zbytočný
Slovenian:	neupravičen
Spanish:	gratuito, innecesario
Swedish:	ogrundad, oberättigad, onödig
Turkish:	sebebsiz, yersiz

graˈtuitous2 adjective

done, given etc without payment
Example: gratuitous advice

Arabic:	مَجّاني
Chinese (Simplified):	无偿的
Chinese (Traditional):	無償的
Czech:	bezplatný
Danish:	gratis
Estonian:	tasuta
Finnish:	maksuton
French:	gratuit
German:	unentgeltlich
Greek:	δωρεάν
Hungarian:	ingyenes
Icelandic:	endurgjaldslaus, ókeypis
Indonesian:	cuma-cuma
Italian:	gratuito
Japanese:	無料の

Korean:	무료의
Latvian:	bezmaksas-
Lithuanian:	gautas dykai, nemokamas
Norwegian:	gratis, frivillig
Polish:	bezpłatny
Portuguese (Brazil):	gratuito
Portuguese (Portugal):	gratuito
Romanian:	gratuit
Russian:	бесплатный
Slovak:	bezplatný
Slovenian:	brezplačen
Spanish:	gratuito
Swedish:	gratis
Turkish:	bedava, beleş

See also: gratuity

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Gratuitous

Gra*tu"i*tous\a. [L. gratuitus, from gratus pleasing. See Grate, a., Gratis.]

1. Given without an equivalent or recompense; conferred without valuable consideration; granted without pay, or without claim or merit; not required by justice.

We mistake the gratuitous blessings of Heaven for the fruits of our own industry. --L'Estrange.

2. Not called for by the circumstances; without reason, cause, or proof; adopted or asserted without any good ground; as, a gratuitous assumption.

Acts of gratuitous self-humiliation. --De Quincye. -- Gra*tu"i*tous*ly, adv. -- Gra*tu"i*tous*ness, n.

Browse Nearby Entries:

gratingly
gratings
gratings'
gratiolet
gratiolin
gratis
gratitude
gratitude's
grats
grattage
grattan

grattan, henry
grattoir
grattoirs
gratuities
gratuities'
gratuitous
gratuitous bailment
gratuitous contract
gratuitous promise
gratuitously
gratuitousness

gratuity
gratuity's
gratulant
gratulate
gratulated
gratulates
gratulating
gratulation
gratulatorily
gratulatory
gratz

View results from: Dictionary | Thesaurus | Encyclopedia | All Reference | the Web