gratuity

American  

[gruh-too-i-tee, -tyoo-] / grəˈtu ɪ ti, -ˈtju- /

noun

• gratuities
  plural

1. a gift of money, over and above payment due for service, as to a waiter or bellhop; tip.

2. something given without claim or demand.

3. British.

   1. a bonus granted to war veterans by the government.

   2. a bonus given military personnel on discharge or retirement.

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gratuity British  

/ ɡrəˈtjuːɪtɪ /

noun

1. a gift or reward, usually of money, for services rendered; tip

2. something given without claim or obligation

3. military a financial award granted for long or meritorious service

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• gratuities
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of gratuity

1515–25; < Middle French gratuite, equivalent to Latin grātuī ( tus ) free + Middle French -te -ty ²

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Explanation

A gratuity is a tip that's given by a customer in exchange for services. You might leave a gratuity of several dollars when you eat lunch in a restaurant or when you get your hair cut. A gratuity is usually a relatively small amount of money, a percentage of the total cost of a purchase or service. A gratuity doesn't pay for the goods purchased — it's a separate reward to the person who did the work. For example, in the United States, waiters and waitresses typically expect a gratuity of between 18 and 20 percent of the total cost of a meal.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gratuity gratuities

The report said the goal seemed to be to circumvent a $2,500 cap and add a $480 gratuity, or 20%, in a place where tipping isn’t customary.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026

A spokeswoman for Efling Union, the second-largest union in Iceland, says this has led to a number of restaurants in the country asking customers if they want to add a gratuity when they pay.

From BBC ● May 27, 2026

The status quo may prevail, tip screens and all, but consumers may begin to decide whether they really want to tip 30% or if they will just skip the gratuity altogether, experts say.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 24, 2025

California’s gratuity law requires that nonmanagerial service staff receive their tips in full, and employers may not keep any portion of those tips.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2023

"Me, I just try to ignore their stressed-outedness and concentrate on the gratuity."

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

Forgoing a proper tip means you’re taking advantage of the people serving you, who rely on gratuities as their primary source of income.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 3, 2026

The debate is not restricted to restaurants - gratuities can be offered to many workers including hairdressers, taxi drivers and hotel porters.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2024

In this term alone, they decided that gratuities are no longer a crime that can be prosecuted at the federal level.

From Slate ● Sep. 6, 2024

Excluding tips from federal income tax might simplify employer paperwork and erase the difference between easily tracked credit card charges and cash gratuities, which often go unreported.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2024

During his tour, which was unattended by any very noticeable incident, he made very liberal distribution of crosses of honor, sometimes accompanied by gratuities to old officers and soldiers of the imperial army.

From Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. V, October, 1850, Volume I. by

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Related Words

• bonus
• fringe benefit
• perk

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