gratuity
Americannoun
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a gift of money, over and above payment due for service, as to a waiter or bellhop; tip.
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something given without claim or demand.
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British.
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a bonus granted to war veterans by the government.
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a bonus given military personnel on discharge or retirement.
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noun
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a gift or reward, usually of money, for services rendered; tip
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something given without claim or obligation
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military a financial award granted for long or meritorious service
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of gratuity
1515–25; < Middle French gratuite, equivalent to Latin grātuī ( tus ) free + Middle French -te -ty 2
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.
Vocabulary lists containing gratuity
100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
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Ratios and Proportional Relationships
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Ratios and Proportional Relationships
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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.
Chef Ann Ahmed’s more casual follow-up to Khâluna features an extensive menu, and gratuity is already included in the pricing.
From Salon • Jun. 11, 2026
They want Legends Global to raise hourly wages for the lowest-paid employees to $40 from $28, and to increase the automatic gratuity added to tabs in the stadium’s suites.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 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
"Me, I just try to ignore their stressed-outedness and concentrate on the gratuity."
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
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.
