gratuitous

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɡrəˈtuɪtəs/ UK /ɡrəˈtjuːɪtəs/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
uncalled for; given or done without good reason

The film was criticized for its gratuitous violence.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · uncalled for; given or done... unwarranted unjustified needlessuncalled-forunnecessary wanton gratis

Opposites

warranted justified necessary merited

Word family

Forms gratuitously

Derived forms gratuitouslygratuitousness

Related forms gratuity gratis gratitude

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

gratuitous insult
An offensive remark or action made without justification or need.

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Latin gratuitus ('done without payment, spontaneous, freely given'), from gratus ('pleasing, thankful').

gratuītus Latin gratus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# gratuitous

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ɡrəˈtuɪtəs/
**IPA (UK):** /ɡrəˈtjuːɪtəs/

## Meanings
1. uncalled for; given or done without good reason

## Examples
- The film was criticized for its gratuitous violence.

## Synonyms
- unwarranted
- unjustified
- needless
- uncalled-for
- unnecessary
- wanton
- gratis

## Antonyms
- warranted
- justified
- necessary
- merited

## Derived Forms
- gratuitously
- gratuitousness

## Related Forms
- gratuity
- gratis
- gratitude

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: gratuītus
- Root: gratus

## Etymology
From Latin gratuitus ('done without payment, spontaneous, freely given'), from gratus ('pleasing, thankful').

## AI Etymology
Gratuitous comes from Latin gratuitus ('done without payment, spontaneous, freely given'), from gratus ('pleasing, thankful'). The development is chiefly a borrowing or learned continuation, carrying an older form and meaning into English rather than building the word from a purely native base. In present use, it is used as an adjective meaning "uncalled for; given or done without good reason", so the historical material remains connected with the current sense rather than standing as bare ancestry. The wider English family includes derivatives such as gratuitously and gratuitousness and related forms such as gratuity, gratis, and gratitude, showing how the same historical material continues to organize neighboring vocabulary. The named historical forms include Latin gratuītus and Latin gratus, keeping the history tied to concrete forms rather than a loose resemblance.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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