Etymology

gratuity

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Today it means: An additional payment given freely as thanks for service. Full definition →

Middle French gratuité ← Old French gratuite ← Medieval Latin gratuitas
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromgratuitus“freely given, free”
  2. Medieval Latin · derived fromgratuitas“a free gift”
  3. Old French · derived fromgratuite
  4. Middle French · borrowed fromgratuité
  5. English todaygratuity

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.

Words from the same roots

Latingratuitus all →

gratuitous

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.