DEFINITIONS
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gratuitous

[ gruh-too-i-tuhs, -tyoo- ]
/ grəˈtu ɪ təs, -ˈtyu- /

adjective

given, done, bestowed, or obtained without charge or payment; free; voluntary.
being without apparent reason, cause, or justification: a gratuitous insult.
Law. given without receiving any return value.

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Words nearby gratuitous

gratis, gratitude, grattage, grattan, grattoir, gratuitous, gratuitous contract, gratuity, gratulant, gratulate, gratulation

Origin of gratuitous

1650–60; < 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. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for non-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