gratis

Word family

• gratuity
  nounC1
• gratuitous
  adjectiveC1
• gratuitously
  adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

'Free' is the broadest and most common word — it works as both adjective and adverb in any context ('free samples', 'I got it free'). 'Complimentary' is more restricted: it describes something given as a courtesy by a business, such as a hotel's complimentary breakfast or an airline's complimentary upgrade. 'On the house' is an informal idiom used only for food or drinks provided by a bar or restaurant ('the manager sent a round on the house'). 'For free' is a casual alternative to 'gratis' but sounds less polished in writing ('the app is available for free'). 'Gratis' sits in a middle register — more formal than 'for free' but less stiff than 'complimentary'. Use it when you want a concise, slightly elevated adverb that works across promotional, software, and hospitality settings.

Common collocations

Etymology

Borrowed directly from Latin 'grātīs', a shortened form of 'grātiīs', meaning 'out of favor' or 'out of thanks'. The sense shifted from 'done out of gratitude' to 'done without expecting payment' — because the favour was its own reward. The word entered English in the 15th century, originally in legal and commercial writing.