Standard Lemma guide

gratuity

noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ɡɹəˈtjuːətɪ/
  • US: /ɡɹəˈtuːətɪ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: G R AH0 T UW1 IH0 T IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An additional payment given freely as thanks for service.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • service gratuity
  • cash gratuity
  • leave with a gratuity
  • The waiter received a generous gratuity.
  • The company gave each employee a retirement gratuity.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: douceur, perquisite, grace, pourboire, tip, baksheesh, cumshaw, benefaction, boon, concession, donative, fairing, gift, grant, present, tithing

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Euphemistic form of fee, in contexts where such additional payments have been made obligatory.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: euphemistic, form-of

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: service charge, douceur, tip

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Euphemistic form of bribe.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: euphemistic, form-of

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: backhander, bribe, bung, payoff, coffee money, cold drink money, dash, douceur, inducement, kopi money, pay-off, payola, subornation, sweetener, tea money

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

an award (as for meritorious service) given without claim or obligation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: prize, award

5

noun

Meaning 5

a relatively small amount of money given for services rendered (as by a waiter)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tip, pourboire, baksheesh, bakshish, bakshis, backsheesh

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: fringe benefit, perquisite, perk

Narrower terms: Christmas box

History

Etymology

From Middle French gratuité (from Old French gratuite) or directly from Medieval Latin gratuitas (“a free gift”), from Latin gratuitus (“freely given, free”); see gratuitous.

Across languages

Translations

32 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: паричен подарък (paričen podarǎk) — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Czech: spropitné — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Czech: dýško — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Czech: diškrece — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Dutch: fooi — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Esperanto: trinkmono — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Estonian: jootraha — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Finnish: juomaraha — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • French: pourboire — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • German: Zuwendung — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • German: Geldgeschenk — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • German: Gratifikation — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Hindi: उपदान (updān) — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Hungarian: borravaló — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Hungarian: hálapénz — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Italian: mancia — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Latin: dōnātīvum — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Persian: انعام (en'âm) — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Persian: شتل (šatal) — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Polish: napiwek — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Portuguese: gorjeta — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Romanian: bacșiș — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Russian: бонус (bonus) — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Spanish: dádiva — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Spanish: gratificación — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Spanish: propina — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Spanish: yapa — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Spanish: ñapa — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Spanish: llapa — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Spanish: ipegüe — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Ottoman Turkish: مارده (marda) — reward provided freely, without obligation
  • Ukrainian: чайові́ (čajoví) — reward provided freely, without obligation