gratuitously

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UK/ɡɹəˈtjuː.ɪ.təs.li/UK/ɡɹəˈtʃuː.ɪ.təs.li/US/ɡɹəˈtu.ə.təs.li/US/ɡɹəˈtju.ə.təs.li/

adverb

Freely; in the manner of a gift, without being earned.

UncommonScrabble 16
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Meanings

adverbgratuitously (comparative more gratuitously, superlative most gratuitously)

comparative more gratuitously · superlative most gratuitously

  1. Freely; in the manner of a gift, without being earned.

    We should feed and clothe him gratuitously sometimes, and recruit him with our cordials, before we judge of him.

    1854, Henry David Thoreau, chapter 1, in Walden
  2. In a manner not demanded by the circumstances, without reason, justification, cause, or proof.

    Secondly, Mr. Browne concludes, apparently rather gratuitously, on page 441 as follows[…]

    1881, Samuel Tolver Preston, “On Action at a Distance”, in Philosophical Magazine, 15:38-39

Origin

From gratuitous + -ly.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan gratuïtament, gratuïtament
  • gratuïtamentfreely; in the manner of a gift
  • gratuïtamentin a manner not demanded by the circumstances
Dutch vrijelijk, zomaar
  • vrijelijkfreely; in the manner of a gift
  • zomaarin a manner not demanded by the circumstances
  • zonder redenin a manner not demanded by the circumstances
  • ongegrondin a manner not demanded by the circumstances
Finnish ilmaiseksi, turhaan
  • ilmaiseksifreely; in the manner of a gift
  • turhaanin a manner not demanded by the circumstances
  • tarpeettomastiin a manner not demanded by the circumstances
French gratuitement, gratuitement
  • gratuitementfreely; in the manner of a gift
  • gratuitementin a manner not demanded by the circumstances
German umsonst, unentgeltlich
  • umsonstfreely; in the manner of a gift
  • unentgeltlichfreely; in the manner of a gift
  • unnötigerweisein a manner not demanded by the circumstances
  • unbegründeterweisein a manner not demanded by the circumstances
  • überflüssigerweisein a manner not demanded by the circumstances
Italian gratuitamente, gratuitamente
  • gratuitamentefreely; in the manner of a gift
  • gratuitamentein a manner not demanded by the circumstances
Polish bezpłatnie, nieodpłatnie
  • bezpłatniefreely; in the manner of a gift
  • nieodpłatniefreely; in the manner of a gift
  • bezpodstawniein a manner not demanded by the circumstances
  • niepotrzebniein a manner not demanded by the circumstances
Russian беспла́тно, да́ром
  • беспла́тно (besplátno)freely; in the manner of a gift
  • да́ром (dárom)freely; in the manner of a gift
  • неуместно (neumestno)in a manner not demanded by the circumstances
  • беспричинно (bespričinno)in a manner not demanded by the circumstances
Spanish gratuitamente, gratuitamente
  • gratuitamentefreely; in the manner of a gift
  • gratuitamentein a manner not demanded by the circumstances
Turkish ödül olarak, öylesine
  • ödül olarakfreely; in the manner of a gift
  • öylesinein a manner not demanded by the circumstances
Cite this entry
APA

gratuitously. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gratuitously

MLA

“gratuitously.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gratuitously. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gratuitously,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gratuitously.

Source: gratuitously on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.