lagniappe

American  

[lan-yap, lan-yap] / lænˈyæp, ˈlæn yæp /

Or lagnappe

noun

1. Chiefly Southern Louisiana and Southeast Texas. a small gift given with a purchase to a customer, by way of compliment or for good measure; bonus.

2. a gratuity or tip.

3. an unexpected or indirect benefit.

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lagniappe British  

/ lænˈjæp, ˈlænjæp /

noun

1. a small gift, esp one given to a customer who makes a purchase

2. something given or obtained as a gratuity or bonus

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Etymology

Origin of lagniappe

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50; from Louisiana French, from Latin American Spanish la ñapa, la yapa “the addition,” equivalent to la feminine definite article + ñapa, yapa from from Quechua, yapa “that which is added”

Example Sentences

The Post offered a lexical lagniappe in the form of “graupel” as reported in the March 27 Metro article “Winter’s remnants linger on Saturday.”

From Washington Post • Apr. 8, 2022

The money that gets taxed is mostly what economists call excess returns and what a Louisianian might call lagniappe — profits in excess of what is necessary to motivate investment.

From New York Times • Apr. 17, 2021

In his essential book "Imbibe," David Wondrich calls the Sazerac — created in the Crescent City before the turn of the 20th century — "New Orleans' own liquid lagniappe."

From Salon • Feb. 13, 2021

“My way to break down barriers, connect with people, and start to see each other on a human level: a bit of lagniappe, as we say in Louisiana.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 24, 2020

The city hall clock chimed ten, the hour when the saloons set out the mock-turtle soup and potato salad, the bull-beef and sour beans as lagniappe to the heavy-laden schooner.

From Brann the Iconoclast — Volume 01 by Brann, William Cowper