gratuitous

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English

Etymology

From Latin grātuītus (“free”), from Latin grātia (“favor”), grātus (“showing favor”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ɡɹəˈtjuː.ɪt.əs/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ɡɹəˈtu.ɪt.əs/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Adjective

gratuitous (comparative more gratuitous, superlative most gratuitous)

  1. Given freely; unearned.
    • 2023 January 11, Stephen Roberts, “Bradshaw's Britain: castles and cathedrals”, in RAIL, number 974, page 56:
      Also mentioned is the Rev. T. Stock, who has a tablet in St John's church and "who with Raikes established the four original Sunday schools in this parish ... in 1780. From this small beginning sprung that gratuitous system of Christian instruction which has covered the face of England and Wales with schools."
  2. Unjustified or unnecessary; not called for by the circumstances.
    Synonym: uncalled-for
    gratuitous violence
    • 1983, Lorenzo Semple Jr., Never Say Never Again, spoken by Q (Alec McCowen):
      Good to see you Mr. Bond. Things've been awfully dull 'round here. […] Now you're on this. I hope we're going to have some gratuitous sex and violence!

Synonyms

(given freely):

(not called for by the circumstances):

Antonyms

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Further reading

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