'Gratuitous' definitions:
Definition of 'gratuitous'
(from WordNet)
adjective
Without cause; "a gratuitous insult"
adjective
Costing nothing; "complimentary tickets"; "free admission" [syn: complimentary, costless, free, gratis(p), gratuitous]
adjective
Unnecessary and unwarranted; "a strikers' tent camp...was burned with needless loss of life" [syn: gratuitous, needless, uncalled-for]
Definition of 'Gratuitous'
From: GCIDE
- Gratuitous \Gra*tu"i*tous\a. [L. gratuitus, from gratus pleasing. See Grate, a., Gratis.]
- 1. Given without an equivalent or recompense; conferred without valuable consideration; granted without pay, or without claim or merit; not required by justice. [1913 Webster]
- We mistake the gratuitous blessings of Heaven for the fruits of our own industry. --L'Estrange. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Not called for by the circumstances; without reason, cause, or proof; adopted or asserted without any good ground; as, a gratuitous assumption. [1913 Webster]
- Acts of gratuitous self-humiliation. --De Quincye. -- {Gra*tu"i*tous*ly}, adv. -- {Gra*tu"i*tous*ness}, n. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'gratuitous'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- accorded,
- aimless,
- allowed,
- amorphous,
- arbitrary,
- autonomous,
- baseless,
- bestowed,
- biggety,
- bluff,
- bottomless,
- brash,
- capricious,
- casual,
- charitable,
- cheeky,
- chutzpadik,
- cocky,
- complimentary,
- contemptuous,
- costless,
- crusty,
- de trop,
- derisive,
- desultory,
- disarticulated,
- discontinuous,
- discretional,
- discretionary,
- disjunct,
- disordered,
- dispensable,
- dispersed,
- disproportionate,
- disrespectful,
- elective,
- eleemosynary,
- erratic,
- excess,
- expendable,
- expenseless,
- expletive,
- facy,
- fitful,
- flip,
- flippant,
- for free,
- for love,
- for nothing,
- formless,
- free,
- free as air,
- free for nothing,
- free gratis,
- free of charge,
- free of cost,
- free will,
- freebie,
- fresh,
- frivolous,
- gally,
- giftlike,
- given,
- God-given,
- granted,
- gratis,
- groundless,
- haphazard,
- hit-or-miss,
- immethodical,
- impertinent,
- impudent,
- in excess,
- inchoate,
- incoherent,
- indefensible,
- independent,
- indiscriminate,
- irrational,
- irregular,
- malapert,
- meaningless,
- misshapen,
- needless,
- nervy,
- nonessential,
- nonmandatory,
- nonsymmetrical,
- nonsystematic,
- nonuniform,
- offered,
- on the house,
- optional,
- orderless,
- pert,
- planless,
- pleonastic,
- proffered,
- prolix,
- promiscuous,
- providential,
- random,
- reasonless,
- redundant,
- rude,
- sassy,
- saucy,
- self-acting,
- self-active,
- self-determined,
- self-determining,
- senseless,
- shapeless,
- smart,
- smart-alecky,
- smart-ass,
- spare,
- spasmodic,
- spontaneous,
- sporadic,
- straggling,
- straggly,
- supererogatory,
- superfluous,
- systemless,
- tautologic,
- tautologous,
- to spare,
- unarranged,
- unasked,
- unbesought,
- unbidden,
- unbought,
- uncalled-for,
- unclassified,
- uncoerced,
- uncompelled,
- undirected,
- unessential,
- unforced,
- unfounded,
- ungraded,
- ungrounded,
- uninfluenced,
- uninvited,
- unjoined,
- unjustifiable,
- unjustified,
- unlooked-for,
- unmethodical,
- unnecessary,
- unneeded,
- unordered,
- unorganized,
- unpaid-for,
- unpressured,
- unprompted,
- unrequested,
- unrequired,
- unsolicited,
- unsorted,
- unsought,
- unsupportable,
- unsymmetrical,
- unsystematic,
- untaxed,
- ununiform,
- unwarranted,
- unwelcome,
- vague,
- verbose,
- voluntary,
- volunteer,
- vouchsafed,
- wandering,
- wanton,
- willful,
- willing,
- wise-ass,
- without charge