freebie
Americannoun
noun
adjective
Etymology
Origin of freebie
1925–30, free + -bie, of uncertain origin; perhaps originally a noun phrase free bee, with bee 2 as in put the bee on to borrow money with no intention of repaying it
Explanation
A gift or handout, something that doesn't cost money, is a freebie. Guests at fancy award shows usually get bags full of expensive freebies. The informal word freebie means "something given free of charge," and it's an especially good term for marketing or promotional items that are handed out as advertising. Your local bank might pass out Frisbees with their address and phone number printed on them as freebies, for example. The word dates from about 1900, from free and the informal ending -ie, which is also used in newbie.
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.
I’m going to venture that a $60 seat for the World Cup will be harder to get than a freebie to the Eras tour, or perhaps even an audience with the pope.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2025
Amazon’s past cloud computing investments came with side benefits—like keeping Prime Video cheap enough to offer as a freebie for Amazon Prime shoppers.
From Barron's • Nov. 26, 2025
But under a law signed by the first President George Bush, executives who join an administration and who are required to sell their stock to avoid conflicts of interest get a freebie.
From MarketWatch • Oct. 29, 2025
Eben Etzebeth, looming like a skyscraper, had charged down Van Poortvliet to give South Africa a freebie try and puncture England's promising start.
From BBC • Nov. 16, 2024
We pass this news box every day, and Pouncey knows just where to kick it for the lid to open and give us a freebie.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
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.
