gratuity means an additional payment given freely as thanks for service. It carries an Arena rating of 1648, earned across 28 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, gratuity ranks #1,689 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #2,328 of 17,126 for Most Elegant Words, #4,218 of 17,130 for Most Beautiful Words, #4,270 of 17,134 for Most Malleable Words.
gratuity is pronounced /ɡɹəˈtjuːətɪ/.
Why “gratuity” is a great word
GRATUITY — [Noun] A sum of money given voluntarily and beyond the obligation of payment, typically as thanks for service rendered. Its etymology flows from Middle French gratuité, from Old French gratuite, from Medieval Latin gratuitas ("a free gift"), from Latin gratuitus ("freely given, free"). Unlike a "tip," which implies a smaller, casual transaction, or a "bonus," which carries the weight of expectation or contract, a gratuity occupies the fragile space between a debt discharged and a gift bestowed. It is the folded bill pressed discreetly into a concierge’s palm, the extra coins left beside an empty coffee cup, the envelope presented after a wedding toast—a small, monetary sacrament for a kindness that has no price.
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.
noun
- An additional payment given freely as thanks for service.e.g.“service gratuity”
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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