Definition of Gratuitous

1. Adjective. Without cause. "A gratuitous insult"

Similar to: Unmerited

2. Adjective. Costing nothing. "Free admission"
Exact synonyms: Complimentary, Costless, Free, Gratis
Similar to: Unpaid

3. Adjective. Unnecessary and unwarranted. "A strikers' tent camp...was burned with needless loss of life"
Exact synonyms: Needless, Uncalled-for
Similar to: Unnecessary, Unneeded

Definition of Gratuitous

1. a. Given without an equivalent or recompense; conferred without valuable consideration; granted without pay, or without claim or merit; not required by justice.

Definition of Gratuitous

1. Adjective. Given freely; unearned. ¹

2. Adjective. Not called for by the circumstances; uncalled-for; without reason, cause, or proof; adopted or asserted without any good ground; unjustified. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Gratuitous

1. [adj]

Medical Definition of Gratuitous

1. 1. Given without an equivalent or recompense; conferred without valuable consideration; granted without pay, or without claim or merit; not required by justice. "We mistake the gratuitous blessings of Heaven for the fruits of our own industry." (L'Estrange) 2. Not called for by the circumstances; without reason, cause, or proof; adopted or asserted without any good ground; as, a gratuitous assumption. "Acts of gratuitous self-humiliation." (De Quincye) Gratu"itously, Gratu"itousness. Origin: L. Gratuitus, from gratus pleasing. See Grate, Gratis. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Gratuitous

gratingly
gratings
gratins
gratiolin
gratis
gratis(p)
gratitude
gratitudes
gratonite
grattarolaite
grattoirs
gratuities
gratuitious
gratuitous
gratuitous inducer
gratuitously
gratuitousness
gratuity
gratulate
gratulated
gratulates
gratulating
gratulation
gratulations
gratulatory
gratz
graunch
graunched

Literary usage of Gratuitous

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Baptist Missionary Magazine by Executive Committee, Baptist General Convention, American Baptist Missionary Union, Board of Managers (1847)
"1 missionary ; 2 salaried and 20 gratuitous teachers ; in society, ... 1 missionary ; 5 exhorters ; 5 salaried and 16 gratuitous teachers ; 549 in society ..."

2. The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge: Embracing by Johann Jakob Herzog, Philip Schaff, Albert Hauck (1911)
"William Brodie Gurney introduced gratuitous instruction into several Sunday- ... Wholly gratuitous instruction speedily became a popular feature of the ..."

3. Principles of the English Law of Contract and of Agency in Its Relation to by William Reynell Anson (1906)
"compromise has no case, and knows that he has none, the agreement to compromise would not be held binding. Gratuitous A different kind of difficulty has ..."

4. Commentaries on the Law of Bailments: With Illustrations from the Civil and by Joseph Story, James Schouler (1878)
"Gratuitous Loans, definition of. 221. No English word exactly expresses ... It must be absolutely gratuitous. 225. It must be for the use of the Borrower. ..."

5. The Law of Contracts by William Herbert Page (1920)
"Presumption of gratuitous service rebuttable—Express contract. The rule that there is no implied agreement for a compensation for services between persons ..."

6. The Works of Jeremy Bentham by Jeremy Bentham, John Bowring (1843)
"Gift, or gratuitous loan. Were we to judge from the number of instances in which it has been adopted, we should conclude that gratuitous grants of capital ..."

7. Principles of Contract: A Treatise on the General Principles Concerning the by Frederick Pollock (1889)
"A merely gratuitous contract under seal is j enforceable at common law (with some peculiar exceptions) unless it can be shown that behind the apparently ..."

8. Principles of the Law of Contract: With a Chapter on the Law of Agency by William Reynell Anson, Arthur Linton Corbin (1919)
"Gratuitous bailment . A different kind of difficulty has arisen in cases of the gratuitous bailment or deposit of chattels, and in cases of gratuitous ..."

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