English
gratuitous
Gratuitous comes from Latin grātuītus ‘free’, from grātia ‘favor’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷerH- ‘to welcome, greet, praise’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷerH-‘to welcome, greet, praise’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷr̥H-tó-sreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*gʷrātos‘grateful, thankful’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEgrātus‘pleasing’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEgrātia‘favor’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEgrātuītus‘free’
- Englishearliest quotation 1983gratuitous
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷerH-‘to welcome, greet, praise’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷr̥H-tó-sreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*gʷrātos‘grateful, thankful’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEgrātus‘pleasing’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEgrātia‘favor’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEgrātuītus‘free’
- Englishearliest quotation 1983gratuitous
Earliest quotation: 1983, Lorenzo Semple Jr., Never Say Never Again: “Good to see you Mr. Bond. Things've been awfully…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʷerH- ‘to welcome, greet, praise’
through Latin grātus ‘pleasing’
agreement, gratitude, congratulate, grate, gratis, congratulation, gree, 8 more
through Latin grātia ‘favor’
Today it means
adj Given freely; unearned.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʷerH- / gratuitous