gratuitous
Americanadjective
-
being without apparent reason, cause, or justification.
It looks to me like a baseless and gratuitous insult—like you have a huge chip on your shoulder.
- Synonyms:
- gratis, groundless, unreasonable, redundant, superfluous, unnecessary
-
given, done, bestowed, or obtained without charge or payment; free; complimentary.
-
Law. given without receiving any return value.
adjective
-
given or received without payment or obligation
-
without cause; unjustified
-
law given or made without receiving any value in return
a gratuitous agreement
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of gratuitous
First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin grātuītus “free, freely given, spontaneous,” derivative of grātus “thankful, received with thanks” (for formation cf. fortuitous); see -ous
Explanation
Gratuitous means "without cause" or "unnecessary." Telling ridiculous jokes at a somber occasion would be a display of gratuitous humor. Gratuitous can be used to refer to something that’s unnecessary and mildly annoying. If a friend frequently gives you fashion tips, even though you’ve expressed no interest in receiving them, you’d be correct in labeling her advice as gratuitous. In addition, gratuitous can be used to indicate that something is not only unnecessary but also inappropriate. Some people claim that some films and video games contain gratuitous violence — that is, violence that is excessive and offensive.
Vocabulary lists containing gratuitous
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Advanced English Words
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Grade 12, List 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Inspired by these, I present the Zaltzman Gratuitous Statistical Awards for the series so far.
From BBC • Feb. 8, 2024
Similarly, when Gratuitous Foreign Languages show up in movies, they usually have nothing to do with the main plot but are often very funny.
From Salon • Jul. 26, 2014
Gratuitous use of a vaguely-relevant Tim Minchin video, posted here as link-bait.
From The Guardian • Jun. 7, 2012
Gratuitous interludes and an overall lack of Lil Jon's rhymes hurt the would-be dance disc.
From Reuters • Jun. 25, 2010
Gratuitous transit, to which, as already stated, the German proposal admittedly tended, was advocated by the delegates of the South American countries, but was opposed by several other countries, especially by Belgium, France, and Italy.
From The Development of Rates of Postage An Historical and Analytical Study by Smith, A. D.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
