Meanings
plural gratifications
- countableuncountableThe act of gratifying or pleasing, either the mind, or the appetite or taste.
gratification of the heart gratification of the palate
2 more examples
I know nothing of Mr. Courtenaye; but I can perceive enough of this affair to see that he is one of those who, for a moment's selfish gratification, or for the yet meaner love of gratified vanity, will excite the deepest feelings, and trifle with the dearest hopes of all who trust them!
1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, pages 295–296Many of the so-called rites of these secret societies were so patently ridiculous, that it is quite obvious that they were merely an excuse for men and women to indulge in sex-play and lustful gratification, frequently of an abnormal kind.
1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art, London: Long, page 161Synonyms: gladness
- uncountableA feeling of pleasure; satisfaction.
To my gratification he told me I could reënter the institution, and that he would trust me to pay the debt when I could.
1900, Booker T[aliaferro] Washington, “Helping Others”, in Up from Slavery: An Autobiography, New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Co., published 1901, →OCLC, page 661 more example
I will tell you all my faults frankly beforehand. I am very vain, for I cultivate my vanity on a principle, and cannot understand why we should neglect such a source of gratification.
1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Confidence”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 102 - countableuncountableeducationPositive feedback given to a student to explicitly recognize an effort, progress, work, or attitude, regardless of the assessment of their results, in order to support their motivation, self-determination, and well-being.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe act of gratifying or pleasing, either the mind, or the appetite or taste.
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latingrātificō“to do a favor to, oblige, please, gratify”
- Middle Frenchgratification
- Latingrātificātiō
- Englishgratification
From Latin grātificātiō either directly or through Middle French gratification, from Latin grātificō (“to do a favor to, oblige, please, gratify”), from grātus (“kind, pleasing”) + faciō (“to make”).
More words from Latin, Middle French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian удовлетворение, задоволство
- удовлетворение (udovletvorenie)act of gratifying or pleasing
- задоволство (zadovolstvo)act of gratifying or pleasing
- възнаграждение (văznagraždenie)gratuity; reward — see also gratuity, reward
Catalan gratificació
- gratificacióact of gratifying or pleasing
Dutch gratificatie
- gratificatiegratuity; reward — see also gratuity, reward
Esperanto gratifikacio, gratifo
- gratifikaciogratuity; reward — see also gratuity, reward
- gratifogratuity; reward — see also gratuity, reward
- gratifikogratuity; reward — see also gratuity, reward
Finnish tyydytys, tyydyttäminen
- tyydytysact of gratifying or pleasing
- tyydyttäminenact of gratifying or pleasing
- miellyttäminenact of gratifying or pleasing
- palkintogratuity; reward — see also gratuity, reward
- hyvitysgratuity; reward — see also gratuity, reward
- lahjagratuity; reward — see also gratuity, reward
- tyytyväisyysfeeling of pleasure — see also satisfaction
- mielihyväfeeling of pleasure — see also satisfaction
French gratification, récompense
- gratificationact of gratifying or pleasing
- récompensegratuity; reward — see also gratuity, reward
German Befriedigung
- Befriedigunggratuity; reward — see also gratuity, reward
Hungarian kielégítés, kielégülés
- kielégítésact of gratifying or pleasing
- kielégülésgratuity; reward — see also gratuity, reward
- jutalomgratuity; reward — see also gratuity, reward
- jutalmazásgratuity; reward — see also gratuity, reward
Indonesian gratifikasi, gratifikasi
- gratifikasiact of gratifying or pleasing
- gratifikasigratuity; reward — see also gratuity, reward
Irish sásamh
- sásamhfeeling of pleasure — see also satisfaction
Italian gratificazione
- gratificazioneact of gratifying or pleasing
Norwegian glede, tilfredsstille
- gledeact of gratifying or pleasing
- tilfredsstilleact of gratifying or pleasing
Polish gratyfikacja, gratyfikacja
- gratyfikacjagratuity; reward — see also gratuity, reward
- gratyfikacjafeeling of pleasure — see also satisfaction
Portuguese gratificação
- gratificaçãoact of gratifying or pleasing
Russian удовлетворение, ублажение
- удовлетворение (udovletvorenije)act of gratifying or pleasing
- ублажение (ublaženije)act of gratifying or pleasing
- вознаграждение (voznagraždenije)gratuity; reward — see also gratuity, reward
- удовольствие (udovolʹstvije)feeling of pleasure — see also satisfaction
- удовлетворение (udovletvorenije)feeling of pleasure — see also satisfaction
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with gratification
Cite this entry
gratification. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gratification
“gratification.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gratification. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gratification,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gratification.
Source: gratification on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.