gratuite

Gratuite is the feminine form of the French adjective gratuit, meaning provided without payment. It describes goods or services that are offered at no cost, such as an admission that is gratuite or a service rendered gratuite to a user. The opposite term is payant, used for items or services that require payment.

The noun related to the concept is gratuité, which denotes the state or quality of being free of charge. Gratuité is often used in public policy or legal contexts to discuss whether a service should be accessible without payment, or to describe a situation where no fee is required.

Usage and context: gratuite is common in everyday language to indicate that something is free, for example, une entrée gratuite or un service gratuit. In formal or contractual language, phrases like à titre gratuit (for free) or offert gratuitement (offered free of charge) are common. In public administration or policy, discussions of gratuité may address the principles of universal access or exemptions from charges, such as the gratuité de l’éducation or gratuité des transports in certain programs.

Nuances: gratuite does not imply charity or a donation motive; it indicates the absence of a fee. It can refer to temporary promotions or permanent policy, and it may coexist with conditions that still involve costs for other goods or services (par exemple, une partie gratuite et une partie payante).

See also: gratuit, gratuité, sans frais, à titre gratuit.