gracious

[ grey-shuhs ]
/ ˈgreɪ ʃəs /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR gracious ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

pleasantly kind, benevolent, and courteous.
characterized by good taste, comfort, ease, or luxury: gracious suburban living; a gracious home.
indulgent or beneficent in a pleasantly condescending way, especially to inferiors.
merciful or compassionate: our gracious king.
Obsolete. fortunate or happy.

interjection

(used as an exclamation of surprise, relief, dismay, etc.)

Origin of gracious

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English gracious, from Old French, from Latin grātiōsus “amiable,” equivalent to grāti(a) “favor, kindness, esteem” + -ōsus adjective suffix; see grace, -ous

synonym study for gracious

1. See kind1.

OTHER WORDS FROM gracious

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH gracious

gracious , gratis, gratuitous.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to gracious

cordial, genial, accommodating, amiable, courteous, congenial, compassionate, polite, approachable, courtly, hospitable, well-mannered, good-natured, affable, considerate, friendly, sociable, loving, amicable, beneficent

Example sentences from the Web for gracious

British Dictionary definitions for gracious

gracious
/ (ˈɡreɪʃəs) /

adjective

characterized by or showing kindness and courtesy
condescendingly courteous, benevolent, or indulgent
characterized by or suitable for a life of elegance, ease, and indulgencegracious living; gracious furnishings
merciful or compassionate
obsolete fortunate, prosperous, or happy

interjection

an expression of mild surprise or wonder (often in exclamatory phrases such as good gracious!, gracious me!)

Derived forms of gracious

graciously, adverbgraciousness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with gracious

gracious

see goodness gracious.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.