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gratuitous

[ gruh-too-i-tuhs, -tyoo- ]
/ grəˈtu ɪ təs, -ˈtyu- /
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adjective
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.
given, done, bestowed, or obtained without charge or payment; free; complimentary.
Law. given without receiving any return value.

OTHER WORDS FOR gratuitous

1 unnecessary, superfluous, redundant; causeless, unreasonable, groundless, unprovoked, unjustified.
2 gratis.
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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

OTHER WORDS FROM gratuitous

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH gratuitous

gracious, gratis, gratuitous
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use gratuitous in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for gratuitous

gratuitous
/ (ɡrəˈtjuːɪtəs) /

adjective
given or received without payment or obligation
without cause; unjustified
law given or made without receiving any value in returna gratuitous agreement

Derived forms of gratuitous

gratuitously, adverbgratuitousness, noun

Word Origin for gratuitous

C17: from Latin grātuītus, from grātia favour
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
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