gratitude
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
- overgratitude noun
- ungratitude noun
Etymology
Origin of gratitude
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin grātitūdin-, stem of grātitūdō “thankfulness,” equivalent to grāt(us) “pleasing” + -i- + -tūdō -tude
Compare meaning
How does gratitude compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Gratitude means thanks and appreciation. It's the warm feeling you get when someone helps you figure out a great solution to a difficult problem that you've been trying to solve. Though they both recognize the instrumental roles others have played in our lives, gratitude is different from indebtedness. Gratitude, which rhymes with "attitude," comes from the Latin word gratus, which means "thankful, pleasing." When you feel gratitude, you're pleased by what someone did for you and also pleased by the results. Unlike indebtedness, you're not anxious about having to pay it back. But it's still great to tell the recipient of your gratitude how much they mean to you.
Vocabulary lists containing gratitude
Veterans Day Vocabulary
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Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I A Woman?" (1863)
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November Words
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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.
In a statement, Cook expressed gratitude for his time leading Apple.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026
The CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, a former national security adviser to Kamala Harris, expressed gratitude to the DNC’s leadership.
From Salon • Apr. 20, 2026
“My best work yet, I am absolutely overflowing with love and gratitude and disbelief,” Hewitt wrote in her post, revealing that her daughter arrived on Dec. 12.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026
He would carefully wrap large boxes of toothpaste and brushes—small tokens of gratitude for the sisters’ work in providing free care to low-income cancer patients.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
It’s so beautiful that it fills her with a Nature’s Wonders surge of gratitude.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
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.
