Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A favor or gift, usually in the form of money, given in return for service.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun In the British service, money paid to soldiers on reënlistment and to good-conduct soldiers on discharge.
- noun That which is given without claim or demand; a free gift; a donation.
- noun Synonyms Gift, Donation, etc. See
present .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun Something given freely or without recompense; a free gift; a present.
- noun Something voluntarily given in return for a favor or service, as a recompense or acknowledgment.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A
reward ,service , orpayment provided freely, withoutobligation . - noun common usage An additional
charge placed forservices rendered; see also: service fee.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun an award (as for meritorious service) given without claim or obligation
- noun a relatively small amount of money given for services rendered (as by a waiter)
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
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Examples
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If you feel like we did a good job AT LEAST let us know, and gratuity is nice too.
25 Reasons Why Cable Technicians Hate You - The Consumerist 2008
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# Prior to this bill, the family of a US troop killed in action would only receive a $12,000 death gratuity from the government.
Sound Politics: Darcy Burner, proud to be Jim McDermott's protege 2006
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For indeed, the egoistic and vain gratuity of what some people call "art for art's sake" has been so reviled that it is no small recompense for me to see my writings, which have had no greater ambition than to raise themselves to that level, ranked among the instruments of revolutionary and upsetting action.
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This gratuity was always paid while the duke lived, and was continued by the present duke till Robert's death.
Letter 413 2009
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The concierge handed her into the cab, and smiled his thanks when the gratuity was the size he had hoped for.
red dust Ryn Cricket 2010
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A gratuity is a symbol of thanks for doing a good job.
Archive 2009-11-01 Matt Johnston 2009
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In the progress of society, the business of advocating causes became a distinct profession; and then it was usual to pay a fee in advance, which was called a gratuity or present.
An Essay on Professional Ethics Second Edition George Sharswood
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He is not likely to grudge being knocked up at night when a gratuity is to be the result.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 61, No. 379, May, 1847 Various
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While natural merit suppresses the idea of gratuity in grace, the same cannot be affirmed of natural prayer (preces naturae, oratio naturalis), as long as we do not ascribe to it any intrinsic right to be heard and to God a duty to answer it -- a right and duty which are undoubtedly implied in supernatural petitions (cf. John, xvi, 23 sq.).
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 6: Fathers of the Church-Gregory XI 1840-1916 1913
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In the future the annual payment will be only one-half to each Indian of the amount paid this year, for the gratuity was the same as the payment, and the heavy expense of feeding the Indians while at the place of meeting and on their journey home, will be avoided by the payment being made at or near their own reserves.
The Treaties of Canada with the Indians of Manitoba and the North-West Territories Including the Negotiations on Which They Were Based, and Other Information Relating Thereto Alexander Morris 1857
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