— gratuitously , adv. — gratuitousness , n.
/greuh tooh"i teuhs, -tyooh"-/ , adj.
1. given, done, bestowed, or obtained without charge or payment; free; voluntary.
2. being without apparent reason, cause, or justification: a gratuitous insult.
3. Law. given without receiving any return value.
[ 1650-60; gratuitus free, freely given, spontaneous, deriv. of gratus thankful, received with thanks (for formation cf. FORTUITOUS); see -OUS ]
Syn. 2. unnecessary, superfluous, redundant; causeless, unreasonable, groundless, unprovoked, unjustified.